20% of Lords staff linked to lobby groups
Guardian survey shows that, excluding obviously junior outside interests, 172 of 646 staff working for lords have lobbying links.
Nearly one in every five staff passholders in the House of Lords is involved in lobbying, a Guardian survey of newly released figures reveals.
Peers have given parliamentary passes, allowing the wearer to walk the corridors of Westminster, to 125 individuals who are paid to promote outside organisations. Companies represented in peers’ offices include BP, the National Farmers’ Union and at least eight lobbying organisations.
The disclosures raise fresh questions about the easy access that lobbyists have to ministers via the upper chamber.
---------------------------
| Tweet |
11 Comments || Add yours below
Reader comments
That’s bad.
But I am still much more outraged about the existence of the unelected chamber of parliament itself.
I am unhappy about the Life Peers and the fact that the Hereditaries were replaced by these political non-entities.
But I am totally relaxed about the lobbyists. Why should anyone care?
Oh, we know why this has been rushed out by The G.
Because Guido is drawing attention to all those lobbyists for unions that have Commons passes.
This just demonstrates the need for better regulation of professional lobbyists. If you look at the APPC (the trade body/self-regulator for most lobbyists). Point 14 of their code of conduct says –
“Political consultants must not hold any pass conferring entitlement to access to the Palace of Westminster, to the premises of the Scottish Parliament or the National Assembly of Wales or the Northern Ireland Assembly or the Greater London Assembly or any department or agency of government.”
The trouble is that there are lobbyists who refuse to join, in particular law firms with lobbying sidelines who claim lawyer client privilege and refuse to divulge who they are working for.
It is always highly amusing that your typical tory butler troll thinks hereditary peers were not political.
If you look up how many times the Lords blocked bills on first reading, second reading,and third reading under 10 years of Thatcher,it was a fraction compared to the numerous blocks undsr blair. The hereditary peers were very political and tory to the core. That is why the tories loved the Lords.
“The trouble is that there are lobbyists who refuse to join, in particular law firms with lobbying sidelines who claim lawyer client privilege and refuse to divulge who they are working for.”
Who? I can only think of one or two law firms in the UK that have “lobbying sidelines.” Unless you’re thinking of the US?
Reactions: Twitter, blogs
- Liberal Conspiracy
20% of Lords staff linked to lobby groups http://t.co/Gry2Au1q
- Charles Edward Frith
20% of Lords staff linked to lobby groups http://t.co/Gry2Au1q
- malcolm
20% of Lords staff linked to lobby groups http://t.co/Gry2Au1q
- Janet Graham
20% of Lords staff linked to lobby groups http://t.co/Gry2Au1q
- Alex Braithwaite
20% of Lords staff linked to lobby groups | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/JIOuxpZJ via @libcon
You can read articles through the front page, via Twitter or RSS feed. You can also get them by email and through our Facebook group.
» Workfare – what does the evidence show?
» The real agenda behind Telegraph’s abortion investigation
» How Scotland Yard monitors prying bloggers and journalists
» When disabled people want to work – employers can hold the back
» Revealed: the reality behind Workfare and why it doesn’t work
» Job snob? No, I’ve got the T-shirt
» Why country-by-country reporting matters to our wellbeing
» If Unions want to become stronger, they need to modernise
» Why work “reforms” in Spain are a warning for workers across Europe
» Five things you need to know about the NHS bill
» Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier. More Racist.
|
62 Comments 15 Comments 23 Comments 10 Comments 24 Comments 19 Comments 17 Comments 83 Comments 204 Comments 85 Comments |
LATEST COMMENTS » TimJ posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » cjcjc posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » Chaise Guevara posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » TimJ posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » cjcjc posted on Ten weeks to London's election: where Ken needs to improve » Planeshift posted on Workfare - what does the evidence show? » Spike1138 posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » pagar posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » TimJ posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » TimJ posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » Sheila Taylor posted on Revealed: That 'dossier' on Progress » Michael Swann posted on Bigots launch coalition against gay marriage » Spike1138 posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » Chaise Guevara posted on The real agenda behind Telegraph's abortion investigation » Andreas Moser posted on Ten weeks to London's election: where Ken needs to improve |









