Lobbyists face registration in wake of cash for questions row
Lobbyists are facing calls to embrace a new regime of registration by deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in the wake of the latest cash for questions row to embroil parliament.
A cross party consensus is emerging for action after a host of peers, from all corners of the political spectrum, were snared by Panorama and the Sunday Times attempting to sell access to parliament and debating time to fake businesses.
It is the latest blow to the reputation of parliament which is already at rock bottom and to prevent a repeat Clegg used a piece in the Telegraph to call for MPs guilty of serious misconduct to be forced to resign if their constituents so wished along with ‘better regulation of the lobbying industry through a statutory register of lobbyists’.
Clegg wrote: “The overwhelming majority of lobbying activity is legitimate, and much of it actively serves the public interest by ensuring decision makers know what’s at stake in the decisions they make. But clearly there are instances where access is abused – further undermining the already weak public trust in our institutions – and greater transparency is a key part of the antidote.”