Pagoda View

I spy a lobbyist

17 Oct 2011

The resignation of the Defence Secretary has prompted further clamour for the registration of lobbyists. The link between the two issues is tenuous and it is far from clear how regulation would have made any difference to the activities of self-styled advisors like Adam Werritty.

However, the Guardian has taken this a step further with shocking revelations about ministers meeting  corporate interests. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills hosted 233 meetings with 'companies' out of a total of 695 meetings during an 11 month period. You are left with the idea that this is all faintly disreputable. But if Ministers dealing with business are not meant to meet businesses what are they meant to do? Sit it their offices and hide?

The same edition of the Guardian highlights how police spies had been placed into environmental campaigns such as London Greenpeace. I do hope the same standards of transparency will be observed in relation to these guys, and that they complete any register of lobbyists with the description "police spy".

The challenge for the registration of lobbyists is that those with something to hide, be they 'unofficial advisors' or undercover police, will always find ways to evade it.