Summer Conference Events

Veteran investigative journalist Martin Tomkinson has spent five decades digging through the dirt to uncover corruption in business, politics and the police. From bribes protecting those getting rich in exploitative industries to dodgy deals between developers and politicians at all levels, so much of his reporting is sadly still relevant today.

This session will focus on how to find information on Companies House, how to use its search tools to find meaningful data and how to interpret the information you come across. Companies House isn't a tool designed to be used by journalists, therefore, when used that way, it's important to look out for the relevant bits while being aware of potentially misleading or even false information.

This mini course taught by a journalist-friendly forensic accountant will show you how to understand company accounts and get beyond the corporate PR spin. The emphasis will be on teaching practical skills rather than a series of lectures.

British Journalism Awards winner in the Crime and Legal Affairs category, Stefania Spezzati speaks about her investigation into a massive taxpayer-funded fraud which the UK government tried to keep secret.

Hands-on. This class will introduce participants to approaches to tracking and reporting on the opaque oil trade. The trainers will explain the value of commodity tracking through the presentation of some powerful stories that relied on the practice.

During his months-long investigation into the former Tory Chairman Nadhim Zahawi's tax affairs, which resulted in Zahawi's sacking, Dan Neidle was sent many threatening legal letters. They claimed repeatedly that Zahawi's taxes were in order and he was not under HMRC investigation - claims that we now know to be false.

Any UK-based investigative journalist or aspiring journalist should have a working knowledge of Companies House. Companies House is the central registry for all UK registered limited or PLC companies and contains a wealth of useful information for those who know how to use the site.

This mini-course taught by a journalist-friendly forensic accountant will show you how to understand company accounts and get beyond the corporate PR spin. The emphasis will be on teaching practical skills rather than a series of lectures.

This session delves into the Tax Justice Network's work and tools that set out to tackle financial secrecy, tax abuse and illicit financial flows. It focuses on how to use the Financial Secrecy Index, with the most recent edition released in May 2022.

Private Eye investigative reporter Solomon Hughes recently exposed a loophole that allowed subcontracted "mini-umbrella companies" to avoid paying national insurance for staff of Covid-19 testing centres.