Ending Kleptocracy & Foreign Influence on our democracy

Lib Dem campaigning has helped expose the influence of Russian oligarchs on UK politics, writes Layla Moran on twitter.

The Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon today tweets:

"For years, Lib Dems have campaigned to ensure that Putin's cronies couldn't funnel their wealth into the UK undetected.

"Today, the Register of Beneficial Ownership finally goes live.

"I'm proud of the role I and my Lib Dem Lords colleagues played in closing the oligarch loophole, one of the most obvious backdoor routes to allowing Putin's cronies to carry on getting away with it.

"But the truth is this Register is not fool proof - it needs strengthening and the Government should commit to doing that.

"Nonetheless, it is very much an important step in the right direction.

"Now we must redouble our efforts to tackle kleptocracy and foreign interference. Closing loopholes in the Register, bringing forward Economic Crime Bill 2 and properly funding the National Crime Agency are three obvious next steps.

"It's also beyond time to make our democracy a national security priority - something which the Conservatives have continually refused to do."

🧵 For years, @LibDems have campaigned to ensure that Putin's cronies couldn't funnel their wealth into the UK undetected.

Today, the Register of Beneficial Ownership finally goes live.

- Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) August 1, 2022

I'm proud of the role I and my @LibDemLords colleagues played in closing the oligarch loophole, one of the most obvious backdoor routes to allowing Putin's cronies to carry on getting away with it.

- Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) August 1, 2022

But the truth is this Register is not fool proof - it needs strengthening and the Government should commit to doing that.

Nonetheless, it is very much an important step in the right direction.

- Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) August 1, 2022

Now we must redouble our efforts to tackle kleptocracy and foreign interference. Closing loopholes in the Register, bringing forward Economic Crime Bill 2 and properly funding the National Crime Agency are three obvious next steps.

- Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) August 1, 2022

It's also beyond time to make our democracy a national security priority - something which the Conservatives have continually refused to do.

- Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) August 1, 2022