MPs have been warned that the Government’s planned lobbying bill, which will have its second hearing in the Commons next week, is “rushed legislation” that could attack free speech.
Head of Campaigns at the TUC, Nigel Stanley, told an emergency meeting of the Commons’ political and constitutional reform select committee last week that the lobbying bill, which aims to prevent future lobbying scandals, is badly constructed.
The Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill was initially proposed to avoid scandals, such as ‘cash for questions’ that involved a number of MPs. However, other powers limiting the financial influence of campaigning groups, charities and trades unions were later added.
These would have the effect of preventing a union organising a conference of its members in the run-up to a general election, according to Mr Stanley, who has been joined in his criticism of the bill by lobby companies, charities and civil rights campaigners.
Proposed amendments to the bill include a code of conduct that will require anyone paid to lobby ministers and senior civil servants over legislation, policy or government contracts by third parties to disclose who they are working on behalf of and to update client information on a quarterly basis.
Meanwhile, even Conservative MPs have raised concerns over the bill, with senior backbencher John Redwood suggesting in his blog that “good lobbyists” are vital to democratic debate and that representing his constituents properly requires him to be their “chief lobbyist”.
A report, based on evidence from the emergency hearing, will be given to MPs next week with the aim of forcing Andrew Lansley, the minister piloting the bill, to postpone plans to make the bill law before the end of the year and allow a special committee of MPs to re-examine the issue.