Lord Hain says UK will soon push for an international anti-corruption court

By Peter Fabricius

2 Sep 2024

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has publicly backed the idea.

British Labour Lord Peter Hain is optimistic that the new Labour Party government will soon push for the establishment of an international anti-corruption court for which he has been campaigning.

In the House of Lords on Monday, 2 September 2024, Hain applauded Foreign Secretary David Lammy for earlier supporting the idea and said he was also encouraged by the response of Baroness Chapman, the parliamentary under-secretary for the foreign, commonwealth and development office.

She told the house in response to Hain’s questions that “This government will drive a powerful agenda to tackle corruption and kleptocracy, working at home and with international partners. Addressing the issue of impunity for the most egregious acts of corruption is vital.

“International engagement will be crucial, including discussions around the proposed international anti-corruption court, which we will certainly engage with as they arise.”

“We’re also considering how to build on the world-leading capabilities in the National Crime Agency, amongst other areas.”

Read more: AU must throw its full weight behind the establishment of an international anti-corruption court

Hain told the house that, “It’s vital to combat the transnational networks of corrupt politicians, officials, bribe payers and money launderers who act with impunity to enrich themselves despite governments across the world declaring they wish to stop it.”

He added that London and the UK Overseas Territories were “havens for corrupt billions”.

“A diverse group of eminent experts has just met in Hamburg to develop a draft treaty, so when does the government intend to hold discussions with other interested governments, especially victims in the Global South, on the urgent necessity to establish the court?” he asked Chapman.

‘A priority’

She replied that tackling illicit finance across the UK and its overseas territories and the Crown dependencies, as well as working with partners internationally, was a priority for the government.

The government was mindful of the importance of the issues which Hain had raised “but also the need to work in tandem with our international partners to explore the proposals for the court as well as on efforts to tackle illicit financial flows more broadly.”

Lord David Alton noted that some 145 world leaders from 45 different countries had now signed a declaration supporting the establishment of the court.

Chapman added that the establishment of a court would have to be based on a treaty which could be produced only with international partners.

“And we see this very much as complementing the work that has been done here in the UK on international money laundering and the work that we’ve done with the British Virgin Islands and elsewhere.”

Lord George Foulkes noted that the UK’s International Corruption Unit had been a world-leading capability since its establishment in 2017. By 2023 it had disseminated 146 intelligence reports, identified £1.4-billion of assets and supported the freezing of £643-million worth of assets.

But Lord Prem Sikka advised Chapman to look at the failure of the Criminal Finances Act 2017 to prosecute any corporation for tax evasion.

Read more: SA should lead global campaign to establish international anti-corruption court — Peter Hain

Lord David Pannick said that “the poor performance of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court means that many of us do not have great enthusiasm for the creation of another international court”.

Hain told Daily Maverick afterwards that the exchange in Parliament had encouraged him to believe that the government would soon make an announcement about pushing for the establishment of an international anti-corruption court. DM

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‘A priority’