The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has welcomed the outcome of an investigation into whether the Earl of Shrewsbury breached lobbying rules and has called for “wholesale reform” of lobbying legislation. The Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL) concluded that his company, Talbot Consulting Ltd, “undertook unregistered consultant lobbying activities” on behalf of their client SpectrumX.
The legislation states a person must not carry on the business of consultant lobbying unless entered in the Register of consultant lobbyists. Talbot Consulting Ltd will now face a fine.
It is good to see the current rules being enforced but many will still wonder why previous examples of parliamentarians attempting to use their position to influence policy have not led to similar outcomes. Legislators must not act as lobbyists, and not just in the narrow definitions of the current legislation.
It is time for wholesale reform and, with a new Prime Minister in place, now is the perfect time to do just that.
Alastair McCapra, CIPR Chief Executive
Visit their website to read the CIPR’s Lobbying Position Paper.
