SubscriptionsColumn / Investigation: Crypto Politics
Dark money, lobbying, regulatory capture, state institutions hollowed by donor factions, foreign interference, and the financialisation of political power.
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Ministers Should Face Legal Sanctions for Breaking Rules, say MPs
David Hencke reports on the Commons Committee which proposes wholesale reform of the ‘toothless’ regulators supposed to safeguard propriety in public office
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‘The Pariah State that Allows Lawfare’
The UK has an opportunity to lead the way with a national anti-SLAPP law, or risk falling behind the European Union, a coalition of activists, lawyers and journalists warn
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Close Associate of Roman Abramovich Key Partner of UK Parliamentary Group
A businessman with ties to the sanctioned Russian oligarch is listed as a partner and advisor to a Westminster group containing senior MPs and peers
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A Crisis of Leadership and the Shortening of the Ministerial Lifespan
Max Colbert reports that 147 members of the Government have either resigned or been sacked this year alone — one every two days
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‘VIP’ Firms Referred by Tory MPs and Peers for PPE Deals See Profits Soar
Hundreds of millions of pounds have been earned by companies channelled through the expedited procurement route by Conservative politicians, Sam Bright reports
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Government Evades Conflict of Interest Questions About UK Ambassador to Russia
Diogo Augusto reports on the close family ties between the Ambassador and a pro-Russia business forum
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The Great Contraction: How the End of Cheap Money and Energy Will Degrade or Renew Civilisation
Nafeez Ahmed predicted the 2008 financial crash. But it was not resolved and has led to a more profound crisis which will require a major restructuring of the global economy to survive
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Anatomy of the PPE Procurement Scandal
Sam Bright dissects the multi-billion-pound affair that saw lucrative public contracts awarded to Conservative donors
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The Wheels Coming Off on the Chancellor’s ‘Tough Road Ahead’
Rachel Morris looks at the ideological underpinning and likely real-world effects of Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn statement and sees Britain heading down a road to nowhere
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Homeless Deaths Increase by More Than 50% Since 2013
New Government data shows how deaths of homeless people – including to Coronavirus – continues to rise. Sian Norris reports
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REVEALED: Councils Preparing for Multi-Million-Pound Budget Overspends as Crisis and Cuts Hit
The cost of living crisis, more than a decade of cuts and the pandemic have left local authorities on the brink when it comes to key services
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Turmoil at the Top: The Impact of Conservative Political Chaos on Housing
As concerns mount about dire living conditions in Britain, Max Colbert reports that there have been five different housing ministers this year alone
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‘Beware Absolute Monarchs Bearing Gifts’
Afsana Lachaux warns of the impact of Britain’s dependence on the £140bn invested by Gulf states, from the impact on London’s housing to a rising political influence
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European Research Group Loses Two-Thirds of its Paid-Up Members
The hard-Brexit lobbying group, which produces research paid for by taxpayer-funded expenses, appears to be losing support
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Government May Face Legal Challenge Over Voter ID in Elections Next Year
A legal briefing by Good Law Project says that election groups will have to closely monitor who loses out when mandatory voter ID comes into force in just a matter of months
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The Toxin of Televisuality
As the democratic dangers posed by social media are exposed, the degradation of our politics by the small screen should not be forgotten, writes AC Grayling
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The Financial Takeover of Government
Sam Bright explores how the masters of high finance have been welcomed into the heart of power
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More Than A Third Of Food Parcels Given to Children
Ellie Newis and Sian Norris report on the extent and impact of child poverty as Britain continues to grapple with the cost of living crisis
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After an Era of Austerity, What is Left to Cut?
Sian Norris digs into the data on a decade of cuts, assessing its impact on people and public services, as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt lines up Austerity 2.0
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New Inflation Figures Increase Pressure on Council Budgets
Council tax would need to rise by 20% to save urgently-needed public services, but how will Jeremy Hunt respond in his autumn statement?
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‘Lady Chatterley’s Brexit’
Not accepting or being able to discuss the damage caused by Britain’s exit from the EU leaves the country in a unsustainable position, writes Chris Grey
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‘Not Actually Very Good’: Britain’s Post-Brexit Trade Agreements with Japan and Australia
Ellie Newis reviews two of the flagship agreements that were supposed to reignite the UK economy
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The Kremlin’s Hybrid War in Moldova
Zarina Zabrisky reports on how Russia is attempting to take advantage of the cost of living crisis in the former Soviet state
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Kemi Badenoch Carries on Liz Truss’ Tufton Street Traditions
The International Trade Secretary is due to speak at a Koch-founded libertarian ‘think tank’, reports Sam Bright
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New Government Report Reveals Critical Gaps in Poverty Data and Questionable Metrics
Tamsin Flower looks into the ‘poverty’ of data on poverty and how thousands of low-income households could be left without the recognition and aid they most need
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‘They Know Who I Am, They Know What I’m Doing’: Arrested Journalists Speak Out over New Policing Act
Josiah Mortimer talks to Tom Bowles and Rich Felgate who were locked up for covering an environmental protest, and reports on more repressive legislation to come.
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The US Midterms and the Lucrative Business of Election Denial
Matt Bernadini inspects the funding sources of those backing Trump’s ‘stolen election’ theory
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‘Amateur Hour in British Politics’
As more and more ministers are handed top jobs for their loyalty rather than their competence, former diplomat Alexandra Hall Hall considers what we can do about this democratic deficit
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A Third Security Breach? Williamson’s Leaks Stretch Back to Russian Interference in Brexit
With reports that the former Cabinet minister was implicated in a second security breach in 2019, Peter Jukes and Sam Bright look back to another incident two years earlier
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Cost of Living Crisis Forcing Women to Remain with Abusers
The cost of living crisis is putting women’s and children’s lives at risk, as victims and survivors of domestic abuse are forced to choose between safety and destitution, Sian Norris reports
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Rishi Sunak Appoints Donor as Policy Chief
One of the most senior figures in Downing Street recently gave £20,000 to the new Prime Minister
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‘Musk’s Twitter Buy Makes No Sense – Unless It’s Part of Something Bigger’
Brexit and Trump were initially seen as jokes, but the new owner of the social media giant could pose a serious threat to democracy – and a boon for Vladimir Putin, writes David Troy
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Financialisation: The Growth of British Economic Inequality
Thatcher’s ‘Big Bang’ fundamentally restructured the UK economy – bidding up asset prices and pushing down wages and living standards, writes Thomas Perrett
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The American Midterms: ‘This Might be the Last Election Where Your Vote Matters’
Heidi Siegmund Cuda speaks to academic and author Jason Stanley on how solidarity on the left is America’s last great hope against fascism
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Cabinet Minister Against Islamophobia Definition Addresses ‘Dark Money’ Lobbying Group Tied to Extremist Organisations
As the Government drops its commitment to introduce an official definition of anti-Muslim hate, Nafeez Ahmed reveals the network of influence surrounding two key officials
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‘Difficult Decisions’: The Ultimate Price We Pay for Austerity
With more cuts to public services expected from Rishi Sunak’s Government, Rachel Morris tracks the outcomes of the controversial policy since 2010
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The Truth About Brexit that Westminster is Too Scared to Mention
A surge in support for rejoining the EU means the debate on Brexit is far from over, according to the UK’s most-respected pollster, Adam Bienkov reports
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Are We Paying for the Government’s COVID Waste?
UK healthcare spending has burgeoned by £50 billion since the pandemic, the same figure as the Government’s mysterious fiscal ‘black hole’, reports Sam Bright
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Government Announces £26 Million Funding for Firm Owned by Tory Donor
The owner of the company belongs to a family that has donated millions to the Conservative Party in recent years, reports Sam Bright
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The Scale of Police Violence Against Racial Minorities in Europe
New data shows how police violence is the “norm” against ethnic minorities and foreign nationals in the EU
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‘Donations are Really, Really Down’: Mounting Concerns Over Brexit Compounding Cost of Living Crisis
Organisations are worried that the effort to help those struggling this winter is being hampered by supply chain issues
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‘The Suella Braverman Scandal Shows Rishi Sunak has Quickly Traded “Integrity” for Power’
The new Prime Minister’s deal with the disgraced Home Secretary gives the lie to claims he is making a clean break from the Truss and Johnson eras, writes Adam Bienkov
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REVEALED: The Staggering Rises in Rent Shortfalls Caused by Housing Benefit Cuts
With the cost of living crisis pushing up rents and Local Housing Allowance frozen since 2020, more and more of the poorest private tenants are struggling to make ends meet
