The FT has a headline this morning that says:
As the related report notes:
The UK is preparing to abolish its so-called “golden visa” regime within weeks, as Russian actions over Ukraine spurred renewed calls to tackle “dirty money” flooding into the UK. The Tier 1 “investor visa” route has in the past attracted wealthy Russian and other international investors, who have resettled in the UK under the scheme.
As some of us have always suggested, such schemes have only ever existed for three reasons.
First, to promote inequality.
Second, to bolster the economy with hot money.
Third, to permit easy entry of funds into the London Money-laundromat.
It is good to note that the FT categorises the move under the last of these three characteristics.
But the questions now exists as to why the Tories permitted this for so long, because it was clearly very deliberate on their part? Is it that they were quite simply indifferent to corruption, or was it worse than that?
Thanks for reading this post.
You can share this post on social media of your choice by clicking these icons:
You can subscribe to this blog's daily email here.
And if you would like to support this blog you can, here:
One reason – as Private Eye reports on a regular basis – is that once said Russians are comfortably ensconced here as ‘British’ citizens they frequently contribute to the Tory Party. They then spread their money around all those other Tory supporting entities: law firms, estate agents and property services, banks, investment managers, traders and dealers (of various sorts, no doubt), PR and reputation management companies, lobbyists, upmarket clubs, restaurants and bars, concierge services, interior, landscape and garden designers, aircraft and helicopter hire/lease companies, and so on, and on. And they are of course, great party throwers and networkers. So, from the perspective of a Tory government what’s not to like!?
Indeed….
Isn’t it kinda obvious.
They fund the Conservative Party in return.
No great mystery.
Have you ever reported someone for money laundering? My experience is that it’s quite easy to do.
And what was the outcome.
If not, why not?
Yes, I have reported suspicion, which is what you do
You will be well aware that you are not allowed to report outcomes, even if you know them
That’s a bit vague – if the money laundering is as clear as you say then you would have reported that and with evidence.
You can report that the report was taken seriously and I was thanked for it, which is what happened in my case.
But if you’ve only ever reported feelz or suspicions then that makes it seem like it’s very hard to establish that the overwhelming majority of the movers of the money are trying to disguise the origin of funds obtained illegally.
This is straightforward trolling as the system does not work as you suggest.
You are now banned.
And at the same time the Daily Mail and the Today programme is majoring on an old story about a doner to the Prince of Wales charity was promised citizenship and an honour. Strange that.
Not that I’m condoning the offer , but it is notable that neither materialised, whereas a number of donors to the Tory party have been enobled.
Maybe the changes to companies house will be made soon…
It’s clearly no coincidence that these issues run in tandem
Much of the money has gone into property in the more salubrious districts. A friend, brought up in a council flat in a house in Chelsea recently found that to house had been bought by a Russian oligarch for 15 million. Even the local football team is now called Chelski.
For me at least, along with your points above, there is an element of bribery going on here – as an entrance to a very exclusive club which can only benefit a limited number of people.
Money talks. Favours are owed. It all just looks corrupt to me at the top these days.
This is at least as nauseating as the No. 10 parties and decorating scandals. A serious and sustained reaction from the opposition parties is now well overdue. The national disgrace that is/was the Grenfel disaster has been and gone with hardly a slapped wrist. Contrast this to the treatment of protesters at the Sarah Everard vigil.
It won’t be long before meaningful public protests will be outlawed, or at least legislated to the point of uselessness, at which point all we have is a vote every half decade or so. Are our MPs going to step up and stand up to the shadow system that seems to run the country?