10.5-year sentence for Nathan Gill shows "real and urgent" threat of foreign interference

Transparency International UK have responded to the sentencing of Nathan Gill for 10 and a half years warning case shows shows "real and urgent" threat to UK democracy. 

Commenting on the sentencing, Duncan Hames, Director of Policy, Transparency International UK said:
 
"The sentencing of Nathan Gill today shows how agents acting on behalf of interests hostile to the UK have attempted to corrupt our democratic processes through direct payments to an elected politician. This threat is clearly real, and we urgently need to take action to defend against it.

"That Gill is the first UK politician to be charged under the Bribery Act marks a significant moment in our understanding of foreign interference threats. This prosecution underscores the very real danger that hostile states and their proxies pose to our democratic processes, and the relatively small amounts of money it took to gain influence within our political system.

"We commend the diligence of law enforcement authorities in pursuing this complex investigation. Both Counter Terrorism Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service deserve recognition for their thoroughness in bringing this case to trial. Their work demonstrates the vital importance of independent, well-resourced law enforcement in ensuring accountability and protecting our democracy from corruption and foreign interference.

"Beyond the immediate criminality, this case also highlights a broader concern about the currently legal practice of politicians accepting outside funding from external parties and the inherent conflict this creates between their duty to serve the public interest and the private interests of their funders."