Since the Pandora Papers revelations last October we have campaigned to force the government to clamp down on money launderers and tax avoiders.
The government has long promised to introduce an economic crime bill to deal with this and it looked like the measures were being quietly dropped.
A minister resigned partly in protest. However, finally it looks like we have won and forced a government U-turn !
Conservative MPs , including John Penrose, Kevin Holinrake and Tom Tugendhat ramped up the pressure. Labour and other opposition parties called out the government’s delay.
After sustained media and parliamentary pressure the government relented and the Prime Minister promised to introduce the economic crime bill this year.
This is a big win and it’s been a tag team effort working with allies in influential parliamentary groups and with our friends elsewhere in campaigns and the media.
However, we live in uncertain times. Boris Johnson could soon be gone from Downing Street and there is a danger that this upends the table as he leaves.
In reality, it wouldn’t put us back to square one.
This is because most of the MPs who want to succeed Johnson as prime minister are now tied in too. In parliament last week Foreign Secretary Liz Truss promised to implement the Economic Crime Bill. The Financial Times reports that both Rishi Sunak and Priti Patel want the law passed as soon as possible.
We are not there yet. But with the ongoing commitment of fellow campaigners and the will of committed Conservative and Labour MPs, there’s a good chance we will get what we want.
Image: ©UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor