When Silence is Complicity: The Institutional Refusal to Confront Financial Crime

By Steve Conley Founder, Academy of Life Planning | Advocate for Financial Justice Across the Isle of Man and Malta, a disturbing pattern has emerged—one that undermines public trust, discredits regulatory systems, and leaves thousands of victims in the wake of financial devastation. The pattern is this: credible, corroborated claims of financial crime are being … Continue reading When Silence is Complicity: The Institutional Refusal to Confront Financial Crime

The Scandal No One Wants to Own: How My Pension Was Stolen and the System Turned Away

Gary Today Retired British Expat | Pension Justice Advocate | Community Supporter Gary is a retired British national now living in a rural Thai village with his long-term partner and her family. By the way his partners name is Aranya, but everyone calls her Aulie.  A former professional who lost everything due to pension fund … Continue reading The Scandal No One Wants to Own: How My Pension Was Stolen and the System Turned Away

Guarding the Rule of Law in the Face of Financial Power: The UK’s Crossroads Moment

By Steve Conley Founder, Academy of Life Planning | Get SAFE | Transparency Task Force Ambassador In today’s political economy, the greatest threats to the rule of law often arise not from overt illegality, but from a deep entanglement between finance and state power—where policy is shaped less by democratic will and more by private … Continue reading Guarding the Rule of Law in the Face of Financial Power: The UK’s Crossroads Moment

The Watchdog Without Teeth: Why the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner Can’t Fix What’s Broken

By Steve Conley When financial regulators fail, where can the public turn? For many, the answer is the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner (FRCC)—the body set up to provide independent redress when the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), or Bank of England act unfairly or ineffectively. But as more victims of regulatory failure … Continue reading The Watchdog Without Teeth: Why the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner Can’t Fix What’s Broken

The Blame Game: How UK Regulators Are Failing Victims of Pension Fraud

When Responsibility Becomes a Hot Potato Victims of pension fraud—often robbed of their life savings and left emotionally scarred—expect at the very least one thing from the authorities: accountability. Instead, what they get is a game of regulatory pass-the-parcel. As exposed through recent correspondence shared by campaigners, victims who report fraud find themselves bounced between … Continue reading The Blame Game: How UK Regulators Are Failing Victims of Pension Fraud

How UK Regulators Became Silent Partners in a Decade of Pension Fraud

Why the FSCS, FCA, and Action Fraud must face public scrutiny for their failure to protect the people they serve For more than a decade, pension savers have been quietly robbed—of money, of trust, and of justice. Yet, the regulators charged with safeguarding them have not only failed to stop the fraud, they’ve arguably enabled … Continue reading How UK Regulators Became Silent Partners in a Decade of Pension Fraud

Our Pensions Are Not the Government’s Piggy Bank

Why the Mansion House Accord Smells Like Pension Mis-Selling on a Massive Scale Imagine if a regulated financial adviser recommended a client invest billions into high-risk, opaque assets—without a clear evidence base, performance history, or full disclosure of costs. They’d be hauled before the regulator. But when the government does it, it’s labelled a “growth … Continue reading Our Pensions Are Not the Government’s Piggy Bank

Broken Promises, Buried Truths: Where Is the Government’s Duty of Candour?

The UK government has officially missed its own deadline to introduce the long-promised Hillsborough Law, which includes a statutory duty of candour—a legal obligation for public officials to tell the truth during court proceedings and public inquiries. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had pledged to enact this legislation by 15 April 2025, marking the 36th anniversary … Continue reading Broken Promises, Buried Truths: Where Is the Government’s Duty of Candour?

Time for a U-Turn: Why We Must Police Finance, Not Deregulate It

By Steve ConleyFounder, Academy of Life Planning The UK government’s Mansion House reforms, dressed in the language of “growth,” are taking us down a dangerous road—a road paved not with prosperity, but with exploitation. Deregulating the financial industry, while cybercriminals and fraudsters prey on even our wealthiest citizens, is akin to dismantling fire stations during … Continue reading Time for a U-Turn: Why We Must Police Finance, Not Deregulate It

Systemic Elitism: The Silent Engine Behind Financial Injustice

By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning "If you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu." For decades, the financial system has carefully cultivated the illusion of fairness, accountability, and oversight. But behind the curtain lies a truth that few dare to say aloud: a small, self-reinforcing elite has captured both the … Continue reading Systemic Elitism: The Silent Engine Behind Financial Injustice