9 Dec 2011

In the wake of this week's lobbying scandal involving Bell Pottinger, one of the lobbyists' key prepresntative bodies has dropped its opposition to full transparency, and backed calls for a statutory register of lobbyists.

Tamasin Cave of the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency said: "Lobbyists have finally recognised the public's legitimate demand that they operate in the open.

"The government is now the stumbling block to reform. It must publish its plans for a statutory register of lobbyists without delay, and appoint a senior government figure to push the policy through.

The industry wants this, politicians now need to make it happen. Lobbying that's shrouded in secrecy leads to scandal. But it can be legitimate, so long as its in the open and we can see who is lobbying whom, about what, and how much money is being spent in the process." 

By the industry's own admission, its attempt to provide an alternative to an independent statutory register  "lacks credibility and competence". This failure has delayed a statutory register by 18 months. The government must delay no more."