UK to get tougher on border workers
The UK has announced a new anti-corruption strategy aimed at driving dirty money out of the country, strengthening national security, and putting more money into people’s pockets.
Launching on Tuesday (9 December), the new strategy sets out how the UK will shut out corrupt actors, disrupt dirty money and restore integrity in public life. It targets corrupt networks at home and abroad to strengthen national security while driving growth.
The strategy will target professional enablers – the corrupt lawyers, accountants and bankers – who help dirty money flow. By expanding the use of sanctions and scaling up the NCA’s capability and coordination, enablers will be hunted down and prosecuted for moving criminal profits.
It follows an additional £110 million funding annually from the Economic Crime Levy to tackle economic crime, bringing the total to £235 million per year – kickstarting economic growth and creating safer streets by ensuring that the UK is a safe place in which to do business.
Insiders working in the police, prison service and at the border will be exposed through more robust vetting to ensure those with a history of corruption or serious misconduct cannot move undetected between organisations. Access to the Police National Database and expansion of National Integrity Screening will seek to strengthen this work.
Enhanced integrity checks will also be rolled out which require new recruits to Border Force and Immigration Enforcement to disclose previous convictions. From early next year, people linked to criminality in a former role will be blocked from jobs at the border, reducing the ability of organised crime groups to infiltrate frontline services to smuggle illegal items.
“Corruption bleeds countries dry, fuels conflict like Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine, and spreads across borders like a stain. We will lead internationally, bringing partners together to close the gaps exploited by kleptocrats and organised criminals,” said Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.
“Closer to home, we are boosting enforcement, rooting out the minority of corrupt actors in our public forces and reforming our courts to tackle complex economic crime. Our message is clear: the United Kingdom will not tolerate corruption – now or ever.”
