Lobbying: "It is the next big scandal waiting to happen... an issue that exposes the far-too-cosy relationship between politics, government, business and money... And we all know how it works. The lunches, the hospitality, the quiet word in your ear, the ex-ministers and ex-advisors for hire, helping big business find the right way to get its way…"

So said David Cameron this week. But just how accurate is his depiction of the lobbying industry at work?

Today, Spinwatch publishes An Inside Job – a snapshot of political schmoozing by the City. The report looks at recent lobbying by the financial services industry and its many champions – from the banks themselves and their trade associations, to the lobbyists-for-hire, the City of London Corporation and the capital's Mayor, Boris Johnson. And it asks why – despite the UK government decrying the “fundamental unfairness of the rescue” of the banks – it shows no appetite for reform of the City to pre-empt another banking crisis.

An Inside Job reveals a well oiled revolving door between the finance industry, the government and its regulators, and opens a door onto the cosy social world they inhabit together (which includes many breakfasts, lunches and dinners).

9 February 2010

Ephraim Hardcastle writes in today's Daily Mail on Cameron's proposed clampdown on political lobbying firms: "Does he mean outfits like Huntsworth," Hardcastle asks, "which describes itself as 'a world class communications group with public relations as its core'? Its chief executive is Lord Chadlington, aka Peter Gummer, 67, president of Cameron's constituency party. He helped bankroll Dave's leadership campaign."

The Huntsworth Group has a number of lobbying firms under its wing including Grayling, Citigate Dewe Rogerson and Quiller Consultants. The first two companies come clean about who they are being paid to lobby for – they declare their clients under the current system of self-regulation; Quiller does not, in fact it seems to pride itself on keeping quiet: "We understand the importance of discretion, and of being able to give independent advice from a position of trust," it says.

Not quite up to the standards set by David Cameron, who just yesterday said: "I believe that secret corporate lobbying, like the expenses scandal, goes to the heart of why people are so fed up with politics... It is the next big scandal waiting to happen".

Tamasin Cave, 8 February 2010

David Cameron admitted today that “secret corporate lobbying, like the expenses scandal, goes to the heart of why people are so fed up with politics.”



The Conservative Party must now pledge to support the introduction of a statutory register of lobbyists, as recommended by the influential Public Administration Select Committee (PASC), chaired by Tony Wright MP.

In a speech this morning, Cameron said of lobbying: “It’s an issue that crosses party lines and has tainted our politics for too long...an issue that exposes the far-too-cosy relationship between politics, government, business and money. I’m talking about lobbying – and we all know how it works."

5 February 2010

Now we know the extent to which MPs are facilitating access to the House of Commons facilities for commercial lobbyists, thanks to information from the Commons banqueting office being made public.

The rules state that dining rooms must be ‘sponsored’ by an MP on behalf of an outside interest, with the MP in attendance, although David Cameron has already been pulled up on this.

Among those consultant lobbying firms out to impress their clients – almost treating the Commons as a private dinning room - are Edelman, which hosted seven functions in 18 months; Lexington Communications – two lunches, a tea and a dinner in 2005-06; and Political Intelligence, which notched up eleven dinners and receptions in just two years. Three of these were hosted by former Lib Dem MP Richard Allan, who stood down in 2005 before becoming a lobbyist for Political Intelligence’s one-time client, Cisco.

"We can’t go on like this. I believe it’s time we shone the light of transparency on lobbying in our country and forced our politics to come clean about who is buying power and influence." David Cameron, Feb 2010.

If you agree with Dave on this, vote now for new rules to force lobbyists to operate in the open.

Power2010 is a campaign where you get to push for political reform. Transparency rules for lobbyists is just one idea out of a long list of proposed reforms – the top 5 most popular ideas, as voted for by you, will become part of a major campaign in the run up to the general election. If lobbying transparency makes it into the top 5, there’s a strong chance that the proposal will become government policy.

Vote now for new rules to open up lobbying to public scrutiny – and let’s see who the government is really listening to.

When it comes to alcohol awareness, is the government under the influence of the drinks industry?

The stated aim of the Portman Group is to promote social responsibility in the alcohol industry, with a particular focus on responsible marketing. Established in 1989, it claims to "show leadership on best practice in the area of alcohol responsibility" and to "foster a balanced understanding of alcohol-related issues."^{1 2}

Its former chief executive, Jean Coussins, rejected any suggestion that the group "represent[s] the industry" or acts as a "trade association or lobby group."³ However, the evidence of its involvement in research and policy consultations indicates that it is not independent of the industry and that it lobbies on behalf of the industry.

BMJ Press Release, 21/01/2010

Although the content of alcohol advertisements in the UK is restricted, an analysis of previously unseen industry documents published on bmj.com today, finds that advertisers are still managing to appeal to young people and promote drinking.

Professor Gerard Hastings and colleagues show that companies are “pushing the boundaries” of the advertising code of practice and warn that the UK system of self regulatory controls for alcohol advertising is failing.

Hastings and his team analysed a sample of internal marketing documents from four alcohol producers and their communications agencies. The documents were made available as part of the House of Commons Health Committee alcohol inquiry and included client briefs, media schedules, advertising budgets, and market research reports.

David Morrison, 19 January 2010

There is a widespread feeling in Britain that Prime Minister Tony Blair was, to say the least, economical with the truth in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, in particular, that he expressed a certainty about Iraq’s possession of “weapons of mass destruction” that was unwarranted by the intelligence evidence available to him at the time.

by Phil Chamberlain | 22 December 2009

One morning in February, two investigators from the Information Commissioner’s Office knocked on the door of The Consulting Association based discreetly off an alley in Droitwich, West Midlands.

A 66-year-old man called Ian Kerr opened it. The investigators announced they had a search warrant and were coming in.

A thirty year covert operation to build a database blacklisting union activists in the construction industry had just come to an end.

It was also a vindication of one of the ICO’s most ambitious investigations. The data watchdog took unprecedented legal steps during its eight-month probe. It eventually named more than 40 of the country’s biggest construction companies as having potentially broken data laws. The ramifications led to questions in Parliament and a promise by the Government to outlaw blacklisting.