Lobbying no-man's land


This is a blog post by Francis Ingham, Chief Executive of the PRCA
 

Sam Cam must have a pretty tough life. David says things like ‘the dinner’s about to burn’. And then sits down for a year or two.

That‘s the only conclusion I can draw from his comment today re the lack of a lobbying  bill.

Two years ago, he described lobbying as ‘the next big scandal waiting to happen’. Today, after months of consultation, and marching the public affairs industry up the hill, he said in the Commons (I paraphrase) ‘don’t worry –there’ll be another Queen’s Speech next year’. The man either has a strange sense of urgency, or a strange sense of judgement.

Let’s be clear here –if the Government genuinely believes that there is a problem with lobbying transparency, then it should act on the consultation it has run, and the industry-wide discussions it has had, and deliver a universal register of lobbyists. We have set out how the Government can do this, and if it does so in a balanced, reasonable, affordable, and even-handed manner, then this can happen quickly, effectively, and with the industry’s support. It can build on the voluntary transparency that exists already, and which our members have embraced for over a decade.

What it must not do –as we have stressed repeatedly- is single out one part of the industry for singular, unfair treatment. If this register is to work, it must include not just agencies, but in-house teams, NGOs, trade unions, charities, and business pressure groups.

What is also clear is that this continued uncertainty is poor for all of us. Every industry hates uncertainty and indecision. And this level of indecision is now quite marked. It is all the more obvious because of how relatively light the new legislative programme is.

Either the Prime Minister thinks that introducing a register of lobbyists (which must be universal if it is to be serious and fair) is a priority- or he does not. This no-man’s land of hanging legislation over our industry’s head but refusing to say when it will be enacted is government at its worst. The Prime Minister really should make up his mind.


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