Spotlight on Corruption

🚨 Our new report, Zoned Out, is featured in the Guardian today, revealing how the government’s plans for AI data centres have been shaped overwhelmingly by industry, with little input from the communities affected. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Our investigation found ministers met 137 businesses but just two community groups, and no environmental NGOs. We also identified 38 ministers, special advisers, and senior civil servants moving into jobs at AI companies.

Who gets a say in the government’s plans for AI Growth Zones and data centres? And who doesn’t? Our new report, Zoned Out, finds businesses have privileged access to ministers while the communities affected by these plans are largely shut out. www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/zoned...

The environmental stakes are significant, too. If data centres treble in number as the government intends, they could consume as much water each day as 60,000 homes. Yet the people and communities affected have had little say in these decisions.

Who gets a say in the government’s plans for AI Growth Zones and data centres? And who doesn’t? Our new report, Zoned Out, finds businesses have privileged access to ministers while the communities affected by these plans are largely shut out. www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/zoned...

Between July 2024 and June 2026: - 84% of ministerial meetings about data centres were with businesses or private-sector trade associations. - Ministers met just TWO community groups. - Ministers and senior civil servants met ZERO environmental NGOs.

📢 Spotlight’s @kamilakingstone.bsky.social will be speaking at ‘USE YOUR VOICE’ about the need for greater transparency about who is lobbying our politicians TOMORROW EVENING. 📌 Thur 22 Oct, 6.30pm Kensington Library 💥 Book your FREE place...

The UK Supreme Court will decide whether to let the Solicitors Regulation Authority argue that it has the power to compel the disclosure of legally privileged information. 👀 Read our analysis of the High Court’s decision to get up to speed 👇

✉️ The first @ethicsandintegrity.bsky.social annual letter to the PM provides a welcome health check on the UK’s standards framework. But it warns that “progress is at risk of stalling” without personal leadership from the PM.

🏛️ None of these reforms are radical or internationally unprecedented. They are tried and tested ways of ensuring transparency and protecting democracy.

✉️ The first @ethicsandintegrity.bsky.social annual letter to the PM provides a welcome health check on the UK’s standards framework. But it warns that “progress is at risk of stalling” without personal leadership from the PM.

3. Political donation caps: The EIC recognises that reliance on large donations from a limited number of sources risks undue influence and damages trust in politics. The government should use the Representation of the People Bill to introduce a donation cap.

✉️ The first @ethicsandintegrity.bsky.social annual letter to the PM provides a welcome health check on the UK’s standards framework. But it warns that “progress is at risk of stalling” without personal leadership from the PM.

1. Local government standards: The government must bring forward legislation to strengthen standards in local authorities and enhance democratic accountability, including for mayoralties.

✉️ The first @ethicsandintegrity.bsky.social annual letter to the PM provides a welcome health check on the UK’s standards framework. But it warns that “progress is at risk of stalling” without personal leadership from the PM.

1. Really welcome to see the government announce its consultation on whistleblower reforms - including a new whistleblower rewards scheme for the @seriousfraudoffice.bsky.social

1. ⚖️ The UK High Court will put London’s gold market - and the credibility of its “responsible gold” claims - under scrutiny as a landmark legal case opens TODAY. Read our press release: www.spotlightcorruption.org/press-releas...

7. Its implications could reach across global supply chains, as well as the wider credibility of voluntary certification schemes designed to address corruption, environmental harm and human rights risks.

1. ⚖️ The UK High Court will put London’s gold market - and the credibility of its “responsible gold” claims - under scrutiny as a landmark legal case opens TODAY. Read our press release: www.spotlightcorruption.org/press-releas...

5. The LBMA argues that it does not certify mines, has no control over the mine’s operations or Tanzanian security forces, and acted reasonably and in line with its rules.

1. ⚖️ The UK High Court will put London’s gold market - and the credibility of its “responsible gold” claims - under scrutiny as a landmark legal case opens TODAY. Read our press release: www.spotlightcorruption.org/press-releas...

3. The challenge has been brought by the families of two Tanzanian men who died at the North Mara gold mine in 2019. Their families allege that the men were killed by security forces guarding the mine.

1. ⚖️ The UK High Court will put London’s gold market - and the credibility of its “responsible gold” claims - under scrutiny as a landmark legal case opens TODAY. Read our press release: www.spotlightcorruption.org/press-releas...

⚖️ On Monday the High Court ruled that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) does not have the statutory power to compel disclosure of legally privileged material when investigating alleged professional misconduct. Our latest blog looks at the implications of this major ruling.

🛡️ The SRA is seeking permission to appeal. But the judgment also makes clear that it’s up to Parliament to decide whether regulators should have these powers - and put them beyond doubt, with proper safeguards for legal privilege.

⚖️ On Monday the High Court ruled that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) does not have the statutory power to compel disclosure of legally privileged material when investigating alleged professional misconduct. Our latest blog looks at the implications of this major ruling.

1. Speaking at an @instituteforgovernment.org.uk event last week, Spotlight's @kamilakingstone.bsky.social explained why the govt needs to act to stop a small number of wealthy individuals having disproportionate influence over our politics.

1. The High Court has ruled against the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following a major challenge by Carter-Ruck and Mohamed Amersi to the regulator's investigative powers. 🧵

5. Spotlight on Corruption has previously covered the challenge, outlining why these powers are crucial for the effective regulation of the legal sector. www.spotlightcorruption.org/legal-regula...

1. The High Court has ruled against the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following a major challenge by Carter-Ruck and Mohamed Amersi to the regulator's investigative powers. 🧵

3. The judge ruled that the legislation relied on by the SRA was not "compellingly clear" that privilege could be overridden by the SRA, and noted that it was ultimately for Parliament to decide whether it would be desirable for the legal regulator to have the power it has until now assumed.

1. The High Court has ruled against the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following a major challenge by Carter-Ruck and Mohamed Amersi to the regulator's investigative powers. 🧵

1. Speaking on an @instituteforgovernment.org.uk panel yesterday, Spotlight's @kamilakingstone.bsky.social explained why the government needs to act to stop a small number of wealthy individuals having disproportionate influence over our politics.