In response to the ISC report on Russia, Ava Lee, Campaign Leader on Threats to Democracy, said:
“The ISC report comes after years of troubling news stories about Russian interference in the UK’s political system. We know dark money continues to seep into Westminster despite promises to reform offshore tax havens that are used to disguise this.
“It’s time the British government stopped rolling out the red carpet to the Russian oligarchs doing Putin’s bidding in the UK. That means introducing transparency measures to stop companies being set up anonymously and ensuring property in the UK is not being bought by unknown owners.”
/ ENDS
Contacts
Notes to editor:
Ava Lee is available for interview. Please contact her on +447957232285.
Global Witness has spent years investigating Russian money in the UK and campaigning against anonymous companies and other vehicles that enable dark money to enter the UK, influencing its political system. You can see some of our work below, including our most recent report on Russia, money-laundering and the funding of the war in Syria:
Assad henchmen's Russian Refuge
Murder, misinformation and money-laundering: weapons in the arsenal of the Russian State
Missing the bigger picture: Russian money in the UK's Tax Havens
London's newest tourist attraction: the kleptocrat's bus tour
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