We must stop UK territories laundering money, say politicians

Margaret Hodge and Andrew Mitchell criticise ‘dither and delay’ that they say protects corruption and conflict

• Open registers are only way to stop dirty money

The UK’s offshore financial centres must fall in behind plans to stop “dirty money” by publishing registers of corporate ownership, leading political campaigners have said, as Labour pledged not to cave in to lobbying designed to weaken the proposals.

Labour’s Dame Margaret Hodge and the Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell hit out at “dither and delay”, ahead of this week’s summit between UK government officials and overseas territories, such as the British Virgin Islands (BVIs) and Cayman Islands, in London.