Dear TIPS Member,
In April 2024, TI-UK released a position paper calling for actionable reforms to appointment and conduct rules in the House of Lords. The new research found almost a quarter of all political party nominations were political donors. 68 out of 284 nominations from political parties between 2013 and 2023 were political donors – handing over £58 million to various parties. Twelve of the appointees had given £1 million or more with £54 million coming from these ‘super donors’ representing 92 percent of all donations from peers during this period. Ninety-one percent of these contributions by value (£53.4 million) went to the Conservative Party.
TI-UK has set out 9 recommendations to hold the UK Government to account through more robust mechanisms to investigate and sanction any individuals who have abused their title and appointment privileges, including legislating to:
End the Prime Minister’s unfettered power to make appointments to the House of Lords, and scrap resignation honours;
Put the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) on a statutory footing; and
Cap political spending and donations to end the corrosive influence of big money in politics.
Please see below the TIPS Newsletter for April 2024. We look forward to seeing you soon.
 - the TIPS team
1. Upcoming Events (register on our Events page)
TIPS | The US Foreign Extortion Prevention Act: Acting on the "demand side" of corruption across the Atlantic and beyond | 30 May 2024, 7-8pm BST, Cadwalader, London
Use of AI in Government | 9 May 2024, 10-11am BST
Tackling Financial Crime in the World of Sports | 7 May 2024, 11.15-11.45am BST
2. Recent events
TIPS | The UK's Anti-corruption legislation: a two-decade journey
On Tuesday 30 April, the TIPS Network welcomed renowned anti-corruption specialist Phil Mason OBE who shared his unique insights into the cadence of the past two decades of anti-corruption legislation in the UK – it was truly fascinating to hear his perspectives from his time in Whitehall.
Phil sketched out the UK legal landscape since 2000 including transformative areas of UK anti-corruption legislation. Phil also debunked common arguments against fighting corruption and reiterated the importance of staying motivated to tackle it.
We would like to thank Sandra Saadi of Pinkerton for facilitating the session and Mountford Chambers for kindly hosting.
3. Jobs Board
4. Items of Interest
TI Publications
TI blogs
Podcasts
 Other items
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5. One Minute Reads
New One Minute Reads have been uploaded to the TIPS website. Please do click the link to read more – perfect for your morning/evening WFH coffee break!
6. Support TI-UK directly by joining Friends of TI-UK!
As a friend of TI-UK you will receive updates from TI-UK directly about TI-UK's ground-breaking research & advocacy campaigns. Your subscription will also support TI-UK's ongoing work across the UK, Business, Health, Defence & Security initiatives. Find out more here.
7. Focus on...
Houssem Tefiani
Senior Vice President Financial Crime Compliance (MENA / AFRICA) | Commerzbank, London
TIPS member
Why did you get involved with the TIPS network?
I got involved with the TIPS Network because it brings together some of the best minds in the public/private spheres all working towards a better outcome in our collective fight against bribery, corruption and financial crime. It fosters a diverse environment that is less constrained than traditional industry networks, which can suffer from groupthink and non-productive echo chambers. A forum which promotes divergent thinking bonds well with my focus on challenging regions like the Middle East and Africa.
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Please describe your experience as part of the TIPS network.
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So far, the events I have attended have discussed interesting topics and also provided tangible insights that we can apply within our organisations to hone our approach against financial crime. I have met some remarkable individuals doing amazing work, and look forward to meeting other TIPS members.
Connect with Houssem on LinkedIn.