Research news
New book helps draw the links between Russia, Ukraine, kleptocracy and Londongrad
Posted on behalf of: Thomas Walters
Last updated: Wednesday, 2 March 2022
Understanding Corruption: how corruption works in practice is published on Thursday 3rd March
This week, the UK's leading anti-corruption research centre, the Centre for the Study of Corruption, is publishing a timely book on Understanding Corruption: how corruption works in practice.
In 263 pages and via eighteen detailed case studies from around the world, the team of expert researchers and analysts examine Kleptocracy & State Capture, Corrupt Capital, Bribery and Political Corruption.
Professor Liz David-Barrett, Director of the Centre for the Study of Corruption and one of the lead authors, commented: "We can see a direct link between our research in this book and what is happening with Russia and Ukraine. We look at how former Soviet Union countries have been captured by corrupt elites, how they launder their money and reputations through centres such as London, and the impact on the victims.
"Corrupt kleptocrats and oligarchs keep their wealth and power through repression. Pro-democracy and anti-corruption movements that challenge those in power must be ruthlessly put down. Meanwhile, those who benefit from such regimes enjoy their corruptly-obtained wealth in centres such as London and Paris, aided by a willing cohort of professional enablers. The question for the UK government is when to call a halt to it. This dynamic is playing out in real time in the invasion of Ukraine."
As well as Professor David-Barrett's ground-breaking work on Kleptocracy & State Capture, the book contains chapters on 'The secret world of corrupt capital' by Professor Robert Barrington and 'Professional enablers in London' by Ben Cowdock, a senior researcher at Transparency International. Dr Sam Power, a renowned expert on political corruption, looks at how lobbying, the revolving door and political party financing can lead to political and policy capture in global financial centres such as the United Kingdom and United States.
Commenting on recent political and press coverage of lawyers as professional enablers, Professor Barrington said: "For over two decades, London law firms have struggled with how to reconcile the commercial opportunities from globalisation and the end of the Cold War with their professional ethics. It is clear that the pendulum has swung far too far in the direction of commercial advantage, and if the profession does not re-discover its moral compass, change is likely to be imposed from the outside.
"Alongside the legal rights and wrongs, we should remember that there are victims of money laundering, kleptocracy and grand corruption - they are in distant lands, so their voices are all too easily drowned out by lawyers in London acting for kleptocrats and oligarchs. This week a stark warning is being sent to the legal profession: it's time to clean the stables."
Will the UK's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine work? The Centre for the Study of Corruption also published a Working Paper earlier this month here, which looks at the current spend on UK law enforcement on this activity, and interviews leading experts saying that the resources need to be doubled - as well as outlining what the money should be spent on (staff retention; tech; intelligence; buying in niches private sector expertise).
Understanding Corruption: how corruption works in practice is published on March 3rd 2022. Review copies are available - please contact vicky.capstick@agendapub.com.