Watch Duncan Hames, Director of Policy at Transparency International and Vicky Pryce, Chair of Fellows at Radix Big Tent, in conversation about Transparency International’s new report, ‘Cheques and Balances: Countering the influence of big money in UK politics’ for a Radix Big Tent Meet the Leaders interactive webinar.
Reform of our political system is one of Radix Big Tent’s core programmes, but political reform is impossible without reforming the role of money in politics. Millions of pounds donated to UK political parties and their members have come from unknown or questionable sources, including those who have been accused or found to have bought political access or involved in criminality, raising questions about who funds our politics and the due diligence undertaken by political parties on their donors. Moreover, a large portion is funnelled through opaque unincorporated associations which, despite transparency laws, hide the source of their funds from the public.
Duncan Hames leads the public policy, research and advocacy teams of Transparency International UK. His work aims to advance integrity in British public life and stop the flow through the UK of dirty money arising from corruption around the world. Formerly a Member of Parliament, he attended Cabinet as the parliamentary aide to the Deputy Prime Minister. More recently, he completed a master’s degree in conflict, security and development. Duncan is currently a governor of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, a director of the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, and a trustee of an associated charitable trust.
Vicky Pryce is the Chair of the Fellows at Radix Big Tent and a leading economist whose career includes being Director General for Economics at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service and Chief Economist and Partner at KPMG. She is currently Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research. She is also Chair of the Economic Advisory Council for the British Chambers of Commerce and a visiting Professor at King’s College, London and Birmingham City University. In addition, she is co-founder of GoodCorporation, a company set up to advise on Corporate Social Responsibility.
