MPS attack No 10 bid to clean-up lobbying

DOWNING Street is facing pressure to rethink the attempt to reform lobbying after a draft Bill was described as a ‘dog’s breakfast’.

MPs and industry experts said the proposals have huge loopholes, including only requiring inclusion on a register for firms whose main activity is lobbying.

Only meetings with ministers or heads of departments will have to be declared, meaning talks with special advisers or other civil servants would stay secret.

Anyone who works as an internal lobbyist for a company will also not have to register.

If the law was in force now, just two of the 988 meetings between the Department for Business and lobbyists would be declared.

Labour’s Graham Allen, chairman of the political reform select

‘This is a dog’s breakfast’

committee, said: ‘This Bill is a knee jerk response. Rushed legislation leads to bad law. The Government will be forced to revisit this dog’s breakfast of a law in a year.’

He has called back his committee to produce a response within two weeks.

Democracy experts are also concerned about a clause which requires ‘ third parties’ to register 12 months before a general election.

They said the section aiming to curb the power of trades unions would also cover local campaigners, charities and even bloggers.

Ministers acted after MPs were filmed advising firms how to influence policy.

The Bill has its second reading in September and an official spokesman insisted it would make lobbying more open.