Global Witness : UK government blocks and delays vital anti-corruption reforms

Another amendment, also backed by Lords from all the major parties, would require the Overseas Territories - which include some of the most notorious UK's tax havens - to publicly reveal the true owners of the companies registered there. Revealing these true, beneficial owners, would tackle the secrecy that act as getaway cars for the criminal and corrupt.

The UK has already introduced a register of the beneficial owners of UK companies, and in December last year all EU countries agreed to do so too. This amendment would bring the Overseas Territories with financial centres, places like the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands, into line with the UK and the rest of the EU.

Rather than backing the amendment, which would bring these tax havens up to what David Cameron once described as the 'gold standard', the government yet again sought to block proposals to combat the UK tax haven's central role in global corruption and money laundering.

At the vote, the amendment was narrowly defeated by just ten votes - but the fight is not over.

Next month the Bill will go to the House of Commons, where MPs will have the chance to vote on these essential reforms. Every MP who wants to end the UK's complicity in corruption should demand legislation on the property register this year, and an end to secrecy in the UK's tax havens.