Ethan Shone
@ethanshone.bsky.social
Investigative reporter with @openDemocracy covering political finance, lobbying and influence in UK politics
Substack: thedarkarts.substack.com/
Substack: thedarkarts.substack.com/
Pinned
Ethan Shone
@ethanshone.bsky.social
· Jul 23
4. Thanks to brilliant work by @ethanshone.bsky.social at @opendemocracy.net, we've learnt that Labour held hundreds of meetings with lobbyists behind closed doors. But the UK’s opaque, undemocratic rules ensure we cannot know what was said in them: www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
Lovebombed by lobbyists: How Labour became party of business
An openDemocracy investigation reveals the secretive mass lobbying campaign that shaped Starmer's policies
www.opendemocracy.net
Thanks @georgemonbiot.bsky.social
My analysis of this Labour Party since before the election has been that it is uniquely influenced and shaped by corporate interest... 'the first private sector Labour government'
Here are a few more recent articles I've written on this🧵
My analysis of this Labour Party since before the election has been that it is uniquely influenced and shaped by corporate interest... 'the first private sector Labour government'
Here are a few more recent articles I've written on this🧵
@zackpolanski.bsky.social: "The public deserve proper answers. Labour’s relationship with Hakluyt should be investigated"
Founded by MI6 agents✅
Advises top private equity firms✅
Worked with Labour before GE24✅
Boss joined No10 to run biz relations after GE24✅
Business now booming ✅
Founded by MI6 agents✅
Advises top private equity firms✅
Worked with Labour before GE24✅
Boss joined No10 to run biz relations after GE24✅
Business now booming ✅
Starmer's top business adviser previously ran a corporate strategy firm which uses political intelligence to advise major corporations & private equity funds. Until last January, Olly Robbins worked there too.
Now, business is booming.
www.opendemocracy.net/www-opendemo...
Now, business is booming.
www.opendemocracy.net/www-opendemo...
Labour-linked consultancy saw record UK growth after boss left to work in No 10
Zack Polanski calls for investigation as we find Hakluyt’s business grew by 30% after Starmer hired Varun Chandra
www.opendemocracy.net
April 23, 2026 at 7:58 AM
@zackpolanski.bsky.social: "The public deserve proper answers. Labour’s relationship with Hakluyt should be investigated"
Founded by MI6 agents✅
Advises top private equity firms✅
Worked with Labour before GE24✅
Boss joined No10 to run biz relations after GE24✅
Business now booming ✅
Founded by MI6 agents✅
Advises top private equity firms✅
Worked with Labour before GE24✅
Boss joined No10 to run biz relations after GE24✅
Business now booming ✅
Starmer's top business adviser previously ran a corporate strategy firm which uses political intelligence to advise major corporations & private equity funds. Until last January, Olly Robbins worked there too.
Now, business is booming.
www.opendemocracy.net/www-opendemo...
Now, business is booming.
www.opendemocracy.net/www-opendemo...
Labour-linked consultancy saw record UK growth after boss left to work in No 10
Zack Polanski calls for investigation as we find Hakluyt’s business grew by 30% after Starmer hired Varun Chandra
www.opendemocracy.net
April 23, 2026 at 7:57 AM
Starmer's top business adviser previously ran a corporate strategy firm which uses political intelligence to advise major corporations & private equity funds. Until last January, Olly Robbins worked there too.
Now, business is booming.
www.opendemocracy.net/www-opendemo...
Now, business is booming.
www.opendemocracy.net/www-opendemo...
A longish read from me on a pretty good week in Green Party politics
Read on to find out which Labour MP has been accused of 'liking the attention' of being a rumoured defector...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/green-par...
Read on to find out which Labour MP has been accused of 'liking the attention' of being a rumoured defector...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/green-par...
Getting serious with Zack Polanski’s Green Party
Star-studded think tank launches, defection rumours and ‘growing pains’ – a week inside the ascendant Green Party
www.opendemocracy.net
April 1, 2026 at 2:14 PM
A longish read from me on a pretty good week in Green Party politics
Read on to find out which Labour MP has been accused of 'liking the attention' of being a rumoured defector...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/green-par...
Read on to find out which Labour MP has been accused of 'liking the attention' of being a rumoured defector...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/green-par...
Reposted by Ethan Shone
The Mandelson story is a rare glimpse into the private life of power, and the extent of state capture by unconstrained wealth. @petergeoghegan.bsky.social & @ethanshone.bsky.social joined me on @lrb.co.uk ON POLITICS to lay out just what that corruption means: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/o...
On Politics: Mandelson and the Private Life of Power
Podcast Episode · The LRB Podcast · 02/11/2026 · 1h 7m
podcasts.apple.com
February 11, 2026 at 10:01 AM
The Mandelson story is a rare glimpse into the private life of power, and the extent of state capture by unconstrained wealth. @petergeoghegan.bsky.social & @ethanshone.bsky.social joined me on @lrb.co.uk ON POLITICS to lay out just what that corruption means: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/o...
SCOOP: As part of a wider move to increase the involvement of private finance in defence spending, an MoD official spent most of last year working at Rothschild & Co, under the former Cabinet Secretary Lord Mark Sedwill, who has also lobbied government on this
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
Taxpayers paid to send MoD official to work for elite bank
The secondment, which comes as ministers court private finance, ended on same day we asked the government about it
www.opendemocracy.net
January 13, 2026 at 10:12 AM
SCOOP: As part of a wider move to increase the involvement of private finance in defence spending, an MoD official spent most of last year working at Rothschild & Co, under the former Cabinet Secretary Lord Mark Sedwill, who has also lobbied government on this
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
Hakluyt has sought to distance itself from links to the intelligence community in the UK, but its US operation continues to hire directly from the services - it has just taken on another ex CIA & WH staffer
No 10's Varun Chandra ran Hakluyt's global operations until last July
No 10's Varun Chandra ran Hakluyt's global operations until last July
October 28, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Hakluyt has sought to distance itself from links to the intelligence community in the UK, but its US operation continues to hire directly from the services - it has just taken on another ex CIA & WH staffer
No 10's Varun Chandra ran Hakluyt's global operations until last July
No 10's Varun Chandra ran Hakluyt's global operations until last July
Important piece by @MickMcAteer
"The UK’s financial lobbyists hold a more powerful role in developing our financial policy now than at any other time in my 30 years as a financial campaigner."
www.opendemocracy.net/en/uk-financ...
"The UK’s financial lobbyists hold a more powerful role in developing our financial policy now than at any other time in my 30 years as a financial campaigner."
www.opendemocracy.net/en/uk-financ...
UK finance lobby’s growing influence threatens our interests
The government is overlooking the lessons of history – and the financial sector’s tendency to cause harm
www.opendemocracy.net
August 14, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Important piece by @MickMcAteer
"The UK’s financial lobbyists hold a more powerful role in developing our financial policy now than at any other time in my 30 years as a financial campaigner."
www.opendemocracy.net/en/uk-financ...
"The UK’s financial lobbyists hold a more powerful role in developing our financial policy now than at any other time in my 30 years as a financial campaigner."
www.opendemocracy.net/en/uk-financ...
Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Wes Streeting attended the annual Murdoch summer party last month
Starmer then had lunch with Lachlan Murdoch a few days later
And now Starmer is appointing a current senior exec at Murdoch to No 10
Starmer then had lunch with Lachlan Murdoch a few days later
And now Starmer is appointing a current senior exec at Murdoch to No 10
July 26, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Wes Streeting attended the annual Murdoch summer party last month
Starmer then had lunch with Lachlan Murdoch a few days later
And now Starmer is appointing a current senior exec at Murdoch to No 10
Starmer then had lunch with Lachlan Murdoch a few days later
And now Starmer is appointing a current senior exec at Murdoch to No 10
Thanks @georgemonbiot.bsky.social
My analysis of this Labour Party since before the election has been that it is uniquely influenced and shaped by corporate interest... 'the first private sector Labour government'
Here are a few more recent articles I've written on this🧵
My analysis of this Labour Party since before the election has been that it is uniquely influenced and shaped by corporate interest... 'the first private sector Labour government'
Here are a few more recent articles I've written on this🧵
4. Thanks to brilliant work by @ethanshone.bsky.social at @opendemocracy.net, we've learnt that Labour held hundreds of meetings with lobbyists behind closed doors. But the UK’s opaque, undemocratic rules ensure we cannot know what was said in them: www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
Lovebombed by lobbyists: How Labour became party of business
An openDemocracy investigation reveals the secretive mass lobbying campaign that shaped Starmer's policies
www.opendemocracy.net
July 23, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Thanks @georgemonbiot.bsky.social
My analysis of this Labour Party since before the election has been that it is uniquely influenced and shaped by corporate interest... 'the first private sector Labour government'
Here are a few more recent articles I've written on this🧵
My analysis of this Labour Party since before the election has been that it is uniquely influenced and shaped by corporate interest... 'the first private sector Labour government'
Here are a few more recent articles I've written on this🧵
Regular reminder that the Dark Arts newsletter is totally free! (though support is appreciated, if you can afford it)
In the last few months I've revealed influential lobbying by JP Morgan and Blackstone, who's funding Reform and plans to bring US-style big money to the UK
thedarkarts.substack.com
In the last few months I've revealed influential lobbying by JP Morgan and Blackstone, who's funding Reform and plans to bring US-style big money to the UK
thedarkarts.substack.com
The Dark Arts | Substack
The Dark Arts is a newsletter about dark money and illicit financial flows in politics, brought to you by openDemocracy’s award-winning investigations team. Click to read The Dark Arts, a Substack pub...
thedarkarts.substack.com
June 18, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Regular reminder that the Dark Arts newsletter is totally free! (though support is appreciated, if you can afford it)
In the last few months I've revealed influential lobbying by JP Morgan and Blackstone, who's funding Reform and plans to bring US-style big money to the UK
thedarkarts.substack.com
In the last few months I've revealed influential lobbying by JP Morgan and Blackstone, who's funding Reform and plans to bring US-style big money to the UK
thedarkarts.substack.com
June 17, 2025 at 5:12 PM
June 17, 2025 at 4:41 PM
No10 hosted two calls for lobbyists today, to encourage more cooperation between the government and business - I was on both
I wrote about that, what 'private sector government' means in practice, and how a year-old government seems already to be out of ideas
www.opendemocracy.net/en/governmen...
I wrote about that, what 'private sector government' means in practice, and how a year-old government seems already to be out of ideas
www.opendemocracy.net/en/governmen...
Revealed: What goes on in No 10’s mass lobbying calls?
Not much at all, it turns out. But the growing stench of desperation is palpable, even over Microsoft Teams
www.opendemocracy.net
June 17, 2025 at 3:37 PM
No10 hosted two calls for lobbyists today, to encourage more cooperation between the government and business - I was on both
I wrote about that, what 'private sector government' means in practice, and how a year-old government seems already to be out of ideas
www.opendemocracy.net/en/governmen...
I wrote about that, what 'private sector government' means in practice, and how a year-old government seems already to be out of ideas
www.opendemocracy.net/en/governmen...
If we think of the payments made to Reform MPs for presenting gigs as essentially political donations, GB News was the second largest donor to Reform last year
GB News not only shapes discourse but directly funds its preferred politicians, gives stable jobs & training to the next generation of right wing activists
Guaranteed there will be a GBN alumni in cabinet within 15 years
Guaranteed there will be a GBN alumni in cabinet within 15 years
June 5, 2025 at 9:13 AM
If we think of the payments made to Reform MPs for presenting gigs as essentially political donations, GB News was the second largest donor to Reform last year
GB News not only shapes discourse but directly funds its preferred politicians, gives stable jobs & training to the next generation of right wing activists
Guaranteed there will be a GBN alumni in cabinet within 15 years
Guaranteed there will be a GBN alumni in cabinet within 15 years
June 5, 2025 at 9:08 AM
GB News not only shapes discourse but directly funds its preferred politicians, gives stable jobs & training to the next generation of right wing activists
Guaranteed there will be a GBN alumni in cabinet within 15 years
Guaranteed there will be a GBN alumni in cabinet within 15 years
Reposted by Ethan Shone
Deputy leader of the Green Party @zackpolanski.bsky.social talks to @ethanshone.bsky.social about his bid to lead not just the Greens, but the wider progressive movement.
Read the full interview here ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/green-par...
Read the full interview here ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/green-par...
May 16, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Deputy leader of the Green Party @zackpolanski.bsky.social talks to @ethanshone.bsky.social about his bid to lead not just the Greens, but the wider progressive movement.
Read the full interview here ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/green-par...
Read the full interview here ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/green-par...
Reposted by Ethan Shone
Great piece by my colleague @ethanshone.bsky.social into the odd GB Pac that seeks to unite the right (its website leans heavy on AI images of armed lions).
www.opendemocracy.net/en/gb-pac-uk...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/gb-pac-uk...
‘Deeply alarming’ new group could change UK politics forever
Great British PAC wants to unite the right. To do so, it hopes to Americanise UK politics with help of donors like Elon Musk
www.opendemocracy.net
April 17, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Great piece by my colleague @ethanshone.bsky.social into the odd GB Pac that seeks to unite the right (its website leans heavy on AI images of armed lions).
www.opendemocracy.net/en/gb-pac-uk...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/gb-pac-uk...
A network of ‘media watchers’, legal challenges, Brainfart Policy, the threat/promise of Musk money, and ‘uniting the right’ ahead of 2029
I profiled a new group in UK politics, who’ve imported the ‘PAC’ model — much to the alarm of transparency groups
www.opendemocracy.net/en/gb-pac-uk...
I profiled a new group in UK politics, who’ve imported the ‘PAC’ model — much to the alarm of transparency groups
www.opendemocracy.net/en/gb-pac-uk...
‘Deeply alarming’ new group could change UK politics forever
Great British PAC wants to unite the right. To do so, it hopes to Americanise UK politics with help of donors like Elon Musk
www.opendemocracy.net
April 17, 2025 at 3:50 PM
A network of ‘media watchers’, legal challenges, Brainfart Policy, the threat/promise of Musk money, and ‘uniting the right’ ahead of 2029
I profiled a new group in UK politics, who’ve imported the ‘PAC’ model — much to the alarm of transparency groups
www.opendemocracy.net/en/gb-pac-uk...
I profiled a new group in UK politics, who’ve imported the ‘PAC’ model — much to the alarm of transparency groups
www.opendemocracy.net/en/gb-pac-uk...
Reposted by Ethan Shone
SW1 is a ‘safe space’ for lobbyists. Read the latest Dark Arts Dispatch from @ethanshone.bsky.social here 👇
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
Dark Arts Dispatch: SW1 is a ‘safe space’ for lobbyist
Plus, how Peter Mandelson might find common ground with Trump in rumoured new role as UK ambassador to Washington
www.opendemocracy.net
December 13, 2024 at 1:28 PM
SW1 is a ‘safe space’ for lobbyists. Read the latest Dark Arts Dispatch from @ethanshone.bsky.social here 👇
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
Which 5-star hotel, favoured by royalty, recently played host to a secretive lobbying meeting with a Labour minister?
How might Peter Mandelson bond with Trump if he becomes ambassador to the US?
Why does the financial lobby keep winning?
This and much more ⬇️
open.substack.com/pub/thedarka...
How might Peter Mandelson bond with Trump if he becomes ambassador to the US?
Why does the financial lobby keep winning?
This and much more ⬇️
open.substack.com/pub/thedarka...
Dark Arts Dispatch: Westminster is a ‘safe space’ for lobbyists
Plus, how Peter Mandelson might find common ground with Trump in rumoured new role as UK ambassador to Washington
open.substack.com
December 10, 2024 at 1:25 PM
Which 5-star hotel, favoured by royalty, recently played host to a secretive lobbying meeting with a Labour minister?
How might Peter Mandelson bond with Trump if he becomes ambassador to the US?
Why does the financial lobby keep winning?
This and much more ⬇️
open.substack.com/pub/thedarka...
How might Peter Mandelson bond with Trump if he becomes ambassador to the US?
Why does the financial lobby keep winning?
This and much more ⬇️
open.substack.com/pub/thedarka...
Just to illustrate the distorting effect that a £10m donation from Elon Musk (or anyone else) would have on UK politics:
New data for total donations to all major political parties - Labour, Cons, Greens, LDs, Reform and SNP - shows a total of around £6m for Q3
New data for total donations to all major political parties - Labour, Cons, Greens, LDs, Reform and SNP - shows a total of around £6m for Q3
December 5, 2024 at 10:51 AM
Just to illustrate the distorting effect that a £10m donation from Elon Musk (or anyone else) would have on UK politics:
New data for total donations to all major political parties - Labour, Cons, Greens, LDs, Reform and SNP - shows a total of around £6m for Q3
New data for total donations to all major political parties - Labour, Cons, Greens, LDs, Reform and SNP - shows a total of around £6m for Q3
“Dear Secretary of State on behalf of all of us here at BlackRock, please find attached a formal letter of congratulations from myself and our UK Chair, Sandra Boss. And may I add, on a personal note, it is a pleasure after all these years to address you as such!”
open.substack.com/pub/thedarka...
open.substack.com/pub/thedarka...
The BlackRock letters: inside Labour's 'close partnership'
The business secretary told the head of a major global investment banker that he looked forward to working together to “change the face of our United Kingdom"
open.substack.com
November 22, 2024 at 1:43 PM
“Dear Secretary of State on behalf of all of us here at BlackRock, please find attached a formal letter of congratulations from myself and our UK Chair, Sandra Boss. And may I add, on a personal note, it is a pleasure after all these years to address you as such!”
open.substack.com/pub/thedarka...
open.substack.com/pub/thedarka...
In my newsletter yesterday I wrote that Miliband, whose work in government treads most directly on the toes of big corporate interests, will come under increasingly direct and sustained fire
And right on cue, today’s DM splash
And right on cue, today’s DM splash
Wow. Imagine the shock for the Daily Mail when it finds out Tory plans were for fines of £5k - later reduced to £3k - for each missed heat pump sale. What Ed Miliband has done is to reduce that to £500. As @torstenbell.bsky.social says today Headline should read “Miliband slashes Tory boiler tax”
November 22, 2024 at 10:51 AM
In my newsletter yesterday I wrote that Miliband, whose work in government treads most directly on the toes of big corporate interests, will come under increasingly direct and sustained fire
And right on cue, today’s DM splash
And right on cue, today’s DM splash
Reposted by Ethan Shone
'Unlike in many other democracies, such as Canada, Germany and Scotland, voters have no right to know who is lobbying opposition politicians in Westminster'
How and why Labour is indulging the worst corporations on the planet for their growth obsession BS.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
How and why Labour is indulging the worst corporations on the planet for their growth obsession BS.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
Lovebombed by lobbyists: How Labour became party of business
An openDemocracy investigation reveals the secretive mass lobbying campaign that shaped Starmer's policies
www.opendemocracy.net
November 21, 2024 at 10:09 AM
'Unlike in many other democracies, such as Canada, Germany and Scotland, voters have no right to know who is lobbying opposition politicians in Westminster'
How and why Labour is indulging the worst corporations on the planet for their growth obsession BS.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...
How and why Labour is indulging the worst corporations on the planet for their growth obsession BS.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-mone...