All lobbying should be publicly declared in transparency laws shake-up, watchdog says

The UK's government ethics watchdog is advocating for a fundamental shake-up of transparency laws, proposing that all lobbying of ministers, aides, and senior officials be publicly declared. This includes communications via methods like WhatsApp chats and meetings at party conferences.

A review led by Doug Chalmers, head of the ethics and integrity commission, has recommended the creation of a new register. This register would detail who is conducting lobbying efforts, the specific policies they aim to influence, and whom they are meeting within the government. Implementing such an overhaul would necessitate significant new legislation but Chalmers stressed its importance in restoring public trust in the standards system.

The review was initiated by Keir Starmer following the Peter Mandelson affair, where Mandelson retained a stake in a lobbying firm while serving as US ambassador. The proposed changes represent a substantial departure from the current lobbying register, which only covers a fraction of lobbying activities conducted by consultants and does not require disclosure of the methods used.

Chalmers stated that the current UK lobbying system lacks the necessary transparency and falls short of the Nolan principles of public life, which emphasize accountability, scrutiny, and open decision-making. The commission's recommendations include requiring any individual or organization engaged in lobbying to register and submit regular information returns. Furthermore, disclosure would extend to communications with special advisers, directors general, directors, non-executive directors, and other equivalent government advisers, significantly broadening the scope beyond the current law's focus on ministers and permanent secretaries.

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The current UK lobbying system fails to deliver the required level of transparency and, in doing so, falls short of meeting the Nolan principles.