Many thanks to the good people at unlockdemocracy.org.uk for sending us this call to end lobbying. Corporations are not people and shouldn’t have any influence over government policy.
This has come in the wake of the six former military leaders that have been caught on camera offering to help sell military hardware to the Ministry of Defence, boasting of their ability to exploit their contacts and privileged access to ministers. At least one was currently under a two year ban from lobbying.
It all sounds awfully familiar, as has been the response, with the generals all insisting they had done nothing improper. An investigation is underway, but what we really need is for the government to act on its promise to shine a light on the murky world of lobbying.
We need action on this now. Will you write to lobbying minister Chloe Smith and demand the keep the government promise to introduce a statutory register of lobbying?
http://action.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/lobbying-letter
We’ve been here before. A group of establishment figures make impressive claims to undercover journalists about their access to ministers and ability to get round official channels only to recant as soon as they realise they’ve been caught out. There’s an investigation, resignations, promises from the government that it will never happen again, and everyone tries to get back to business as usual as quickly as possible. Only it does happen again, this time in slightly different circumstances, and again.
Fundamentally, nothing has changed: it is simply too easy for people who can afford it to hire other people who are willing to abuse their position in order to make a quick buck.
We need to change the culture, and one crucial step towards this greater transparency. The government has already promised to do this by setting up a statutory register of lobbying activity, but we need to put pressure on them now to make sure they go ahead.
More than 5,500 people have already signed our letter to the minister in charge, Chloe Smith. Will you add your voice to theirs?
http://action.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/lobbying-letter
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