CBE! For services rendered to the private health industry? For plumbing the depths of deceit? For giving David Cameron work experience? For having thick hair? For washing his hands before entering a ward? And rolling up his sleeves? For learning how to control his grumpiness? For Chrissakes…

Maybe she should send a similar letter to Ed Milliband as well?

The Labour government weakened the rules on lobbying transparency. The ministerial code published in 2007 dropped the requirement that meetings between ministers and lobbyists should be recorded. It also rebuffed MPs’ demands for a register of lobbyists. You’ll be surprised to hear who the villain was: Tom Watson, then a Cabinet Office minister, now a heroic campaigner for corporate accountability. He brushed aside the call for a register with the claim that “we have a pretty good system in the UK”. In fact, we have no system at all: the Commons public administration committee has pointed out that “Lobbying activity in the United Kingdom is subject to no specific external regulation.”

From the Guardian of all places….

On their website, Low Associates (a marketing & PR firm) clearly state:

We do not lobby government (i.e. seek to influence or amend legislation or policy) on behalf of our clients. Neither is it appropriate for us to handle any client with interests in the health sector.

Unless you have any reason to believe they are lying, this looks like just another smear job.

On their website, Low Associates clearly state:

We do not lobby government (i.e. seek to influence or amend legislation or policy) on behalf of our clients. Neither is it appropriate for us to handle any client with interests in the health sector.

Have you any good reason to disbelieve this? Or is this just another cheap smear job?

Tyler there is a difference between weakening the rules and deliberatley flouting them?

Flowerpower Adam Werrity had “special advisor” on his business cards? Was he lying? mmmm!!

Flowerpower Adama Werrity had “special advisor” on his business cards. Was he lying with the full knowledge of a government minister? mmmm!!

@ 8

No he didn’t have “special adviser” on his card. That would have been untrue.

He just had “adviser” (in fact, “advisor) – which was true.

Flowerpower, excuse me while I pick up some of the straw that fell out of your man there? The fact remains that Werrity was passing himself off as an official adviser to Fox with his full knowledge. Lies ad deceit at the heart of a Tory government who would have guessed it eh??

# Flowerpower,”We do not lobby government (i.e. seek to influence or amend legislation or policy) on behalf of our clients. Neither is it appropriate for us to handle any client with interests in the health sector”.

Many Lobbyists do not seek to influence or amend legislation on behalf of their clients. They seek to set its direction, or to have it drafted in the first place. Nor do they lobby governments. They lobby, or seek to influence, MP’s, who may, or may not, then influence Ministers. As to whether or not a lobbying firm considers it appropriate to “handle” clients with an interest in the health sector – handling and representing are not the same things, and clents such as Mars may not have a direct interest in the health sector, but the health sector and govenrment policy most certainly do impact on their trading activities

@ 11

So what?

What is it that you are arguing exactly?

Is it that you are alleging that this company are secretly lobbyists, while claiming not to be?

Are you arguing that they do have clients in the health sector, while claiming not to?

What evidence do you have for either of these?

There is no law against being a lobbtyst, and no law saying a consultancy cannot work in the Health sector.

This outfit has CHOSEN not to do either – largely, I suspect, because the CEO is married to a minister.

So she’s keeping well off her husband’s patch.

What MORE do you expect her to do? Stay at home and hoover the landing (again)?