Tag: lobbying

PRCA responds to Sunday Times lobbying reports

Stuart Mitchell

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) Public Affairs Board has responded to new reports in the Sunday Times relating to the lobbying industry and the role of former Prime Minister, David Cameron.  PRCA Public Affairs Board Chair Liam Herbert CMPRCA commented: “First, the Lobbying Act needs to be amended so that all lobbyists are covered, rather than just the minority covered currently by the law. “Secondly, the rules regarding the lobbying activities of former Minsters and Prime Ministers are unfit for purpose. They should be strengthened as a matter of…

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Sharp rise in unregulated lobbyists highlights ‘ethical divide’ in lobbying

Stuart Mitchell

  The number of lobbyists failing to declare Codes of Conducts on the Government’s lobbying register soared by more than a quarter (28%) between 2019 and 2020, according to a PRCA analysis of entries published by the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL). The spike follows the Registrar’s decision to clamp down on self-policed codes – a move welcomed by the PRCA in August last year. While the great majority of dedicated lobbying companies declare a PRCA Code, a significant number of legal firms and management consultancies now…

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CIPR writes to all new MPs with guide to professional lobbying

Stuart Mitchell

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has written to all 140 new MPs and the 15 former MPs who have been re-elected following the 2019 general election with a copy of our Guide to Professional Lobbying (download via this page). The Guide sets out the standards of acceptable behaviour for professional lobbyists, what MPs should expect if they are approached by lobbyists, and what action they can take if they have concerns. It also uses the opportunity to introduce the UK Lobbying Register (UKLR) managed the CIPR. We would like…

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New lobbying guidance welcome but still fails to address fundamental problems says CIPR

Stuart Mitchell

CIPR welcomes new guidance from the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists and is pleased that our responses to both consultations – in relation to registerable communications and codes of conduct, respectively – have been accepted and will be reflected in the next revision of the guidance. However, there remains concerns that the overall legislation still does not go far enough in providing the public with access to meaningful and accurate information about lobbying beyond consultant lobbying. “These changes are welcome and the Registrar has done a great job within his remit,…

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PRCA welcomes Ruth Davidson’s decision not to take Tulchan role

Stuart Mitchell

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has welcomed Ruth Davidson’s decision to turn down a role at Tulchan Communications. The PRCA had previously condemned the original appointment, arguing it was unethical for legislators to work for lobbying agencies. Francis Ingham MPRCA, Director General, PRCA said: “I’d like to congratulate Ruth Davidson on making the right call in these challenging circumstances. This is a good decision for the industry and for politics in general. Our Code of Conduct explicitly prohibits sitting MPs and MSPs from working for lobbying agencies. It’s…

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