The lobbying problem

REMEMBER Barack Obama's election promises to change Washington and, in particular, to rid it of the presence and influence of special interests lobbyists? His failure to achieve that reform should be kept in mind by Britain's coalition government which is expressing concern over the influence of lobbying in Whitehall and Westminster. Figures quoted by the Guardian yesterday showed a total of 1'537 meetings between ministers and “corporate” interests in the government's first ten months in office and an additional similar number wiith think tanks, trade bodies, charities and trade unions (130!). From a different angle, it was reported that one-third of those attending the recent Conservative Party Conference in Manchester were lobbyists of one kind or another, hoping to get access to ministers, rather than party constituency members. Ministers need to keep in touch with representatives of companies and organisations for whose activities they are in some degree responsible.

Furthermore, the welcome practice of extensive consultation before policies and legislation are finalised must increase the need for frequent contacts.

Nonetheless, these numbers make one wonder when ministers get any other work done and also raise the question of how far these meetings were concerned with general policy rather than special interest pleading. There may be a need for an agreed code of conduct on lobbying and a register of authorised lobbyists.

The present situation is open to abuse.