Who let the lobbyists in? PDF Print E-mail

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.


Other lobbying firms using Parliament’s facilities to entertain clients include Citigate Public Affairs (a reception for 80); Connect Public Affairs (tea for 50); Grayling Political Strategy (a reception for 100 on the Terrace) and Weber Shandwick (registered as Weber Sandwich), which held a dinner for 14 on 23 March 2006, courtesy of Labour MP Jamie Reed.

Until his election in 2005 Reed was working for British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL), a Weber Shandwick client. The previous week – just after the government announced an energy review in early 2006 that reintroduced the prospect of new nuclear power – the pro-nuclear MP hosted a large reception for another lobbying firm heavily involved in the push for nuclear power in the UK, Sovereign Strategy.

MPs with a clear material interest in the organisation they are playing host to include Ian Taylor MP, who held a reception on 25 Sept 2008 for Avanti Communications Group of which he is a paid director. The reception was held three days after Taylor enjoyed “a night’s accommodation and a day's shooting" from Avanti Communications. Tim Yeo’s sponsoring of an event for the Environmental Investment Network has also raised eyebrows.

How much more do we need to know of the lobbying industry’s activities before we demand full transparency from the industry – as recommended by the Public Administrations Select Committee in 2009 and rejected late last year by the government.

You can vote for new lobbying transparency rules here.

 

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