‘DIRTY money” from Russia must be driven from the UK – but weak leadership from Westminster has made that harder, MPs have said.
London is a “top destination” for Kremlin-linked Russian oligarchs to launder proceeds of corruption and hide their assets, according to evidence presented to the cross-party Foreign Affairs Committee.
In a report published today, it says this is linked to a broader Russian strategy with implications for Britain’s national security.
It calls on the Government to “get serious” about offensive measures by President Vladimir Putin, to treat countering Russian corruption as a national security priority and to end “business as usual” in the UK for that country’s wealthiest.
Committee chairman Tom Tugendhat said: “The scale of damage that this ‘dirty money’ can do to UK foreign policy interests dwarfs the benefit of Russian transaction in the city.
“There is no excuse for the UK to turn a blind eye as President Putin’s kleptocrats and human rights abusers use money laundered through London to corrupt our friends, weaken our alliances, and erode faith in our institutions. Today, we make recommendations to government with the aim of hitting Kremlin-linked individuals in their pockets and levering pressure on the regime.”
He went on: “We can no longer allow ‘business as usual’.
“The UK must be clear that the corruption stemming from the Kremlin is no longer welcome in our markets and we will act. We must be united in our efforts to match rhetoric with action – in the city, through government policy and among allies in the US, G7 and EU. We call on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to set out a coherent strategy on Russia that clearly links together the diplomatic, military and financial tools that the UK can use to counter Russian state aggression.”
This includes fast-tracking plans to promote the transparency of corporate ownerships and tightening the sanctions regime.
The report notes the “strong rhetoric” from Downing Street on Russia following the March attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury.
However, it says no action has been taken to stop “Putin and his allies” from “hiding and laundering their corrupt assets in London”.
Criticising the “ad hoc” and “disjointed” response to Kremlin aggressions and, the report calls for “stronger leadership”, stating: “These assets, on which the Kremlin can call at any time, both directly and indirectly support President Putin’s campaign to subvert the international rules-based system, undermine our allies, and erode the mutually-reinforcing international networks that support UK foreign policy.
“This has clear implications for our national security. Turning a blind eye to London’s role in hiding the proceeds of Kremlin-connected corruption risks signalling that the UK is not serious about confronting the full spectrum of President Putin’s offensive measures.”
It concludes: “The UK must set out a coherent and pro-active strategy on Russia, led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and co-ordinated across the whole of government, that clearly links together the diplomatic, military and financial tools that the UK can use to counter Russian state aggression.”
The report follows pressure on Theresa May to take action over Scottish shell companies used to bring hundreds of millions of pounds to the UK from Russia. In April the UK Government announced plans to crack down on the use of Scottish Limited Partnerships (SLPs) for tax evasion and money laundering.
The number of SLPs registered in Scotland rocked by almost 240% from 2010-16, while a near-45% jump took place in the rest of the UK. Under the proposals, SLP applicants will be required to show a real connection to the UK and do business or maintain an address in Scotland. Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said the UK has “taken a leading role in the fight against money laundering”.
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