As the dust settles on Cameron’s lobbying outburst, the awkward questions remain

As noted here previously, The Spectator blog was quick off the mark to warn of the dangers for David Cameron in making such a big deal about lobbying. It noted that the Tories were vulnerable ‘not only from the number of candidates who were working for lobbying and PR firms but the social connections that link some of those at the top of the party with lobbyists’.

Cue influential Times columnist Rachel Sylvester writing that the Tories have ‘28 prospective parliamentary candidates in winnable seats working as lobbying or PR consultants’.

And the Daily Mail diary column, Ephraim Hardcastle. It noted:

‘Tory leader David Cameron proposes a clampdown on political lobbying firms, calling them “the next big scandal waiting to happen”. Does he mean outfits like Huntsworth… Its chief executive is Lord Chadlington, aka Peter Gummer, 67, president of Cameron’s constituency party. He helped bankroll Dave’s leadership campaign.’

But that’s not the end of it. As Tamasin Cave points out on the Spinwatch blog, not all of the lobbying firms under the Huntsworth umbrella are the shining beacon of transparency that Dave has suddenly become so approving of:

‘The Huntsworth Group has a number of lobbying firms under its wing including Grayling, Citigate Dewe Rogerson and Quiller Consultants. The first two companies come clean about who they are being paid to lobby for – they declare their clients under the current system of self-regulation. 

‘Quiller does not, in fact it seems to pride itself on keeping quiet: “We understand the importance of discretion, and of being able to give independent advice from a position of trust,” it says.’

And while we’re on the subject, I wonder what George Bridges, the man masterminding the Tory election campaign, thought of Dave’s nasty words about secretive lobbyists.

Because, until very recently, George worked at…. Quiller Consultants!

Lobbyists debate with the enemy

I’ve just written up a story for the magazine on last nights ‘clash of the lobbyists’ event hosted by the CIPR Government Affairs Group.

For those unfamiliar with this debate about the future of the lobbying industry, Foresight Consulting boss Mark Adams is leading the charge to get all lobbying firms voluntarily revealing their clients on a public register.

Peter Bingle heads up one of the UK’s biggest lobbying firms, Bell Pottinger, and is not so keen on the idea.

Despite the jovial mood last night, the two men remained at loggerheads over this key issue…

Meanwhile Guido Fawkes today launched his strongest assault yet on lobbyists, declaring today that:

‘Anyone involved in politics knows that lobbyists infest politics, lobbyists become politicians, politicians become lobbyists.  It is a sordid underhand, undemocratic trade practised out of sight of the voters and taxpayers….Lobbyists are covertly subverting democracy, it should be a criminal offence.’

That’ll be the same Guido Fawkes who is due to address the next CIPR Government Affairs Group meeting on 23 March.

Should be interesting…

Tough guy Dave gets even tougher than before on lobbying

Blimey. Cameron didn’t pull any punches this morning, with this attack on lobbyists.

Of course, it may be a tad unfair to blame lobbyists for declining levels of trust in parliament. But on the other hand, Dave knows there’s not many votes in cosying up to the public affairs industry!

Either way, we’re told the Tories are the party that will ’sort it out’…

We’ll keep an eye out for something in the manifesto then, shall we Dave?

UPDATE: The Spectator reckons this could be a risky move for the Tories.

‘The single most influential lobbying organisation in Britain’

Who are the most powerful lobbyists in Britain?

Tesco and BAA may be stuffed full of former Downing Street staffers, but the former chairman of Channel 4 appears to think that another organisation has even more lobbying muscle.

Writing in today’s MediaGuardian, just a week after leaving the broadcaster, Luke Johnson describes the BBC as “the single most influential lobbying organisation in Britain”.

He adds: “Whether it is backbench MPs on BBC local radio, print journalists on its payroll, ministers on the Today programme, tickets to the Proms or Wimbledon or Glastonbury, when its £3.5bn ‘jacuzzi of cash’ is threatened, the entire machine dedicates itself to seeing off any rival – rather like Doctor Who and the Daleks joining forces to destroy the ultimate enemy.”

Ouch!

MPs face further scrutiny over lobbyist room bookings

So, no new tales concerning lobbyists and the use of parliamentary banqueting facitites in the Sunday papers today.

But for how long? Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP who has campaigned against sleaze in Parliament on many an occasion, tells the Sunday Telegraph:

‘The booking of rooms by MPs should be done to facilitate their duties in the house, not to help external lobbyists.

‘I will be looking closely at this document, along with many other people I’m sure, in order to see if any rules have been broken and whether there are any grounds for complaint.’

Keep us posted, Norman…

Conservative MP shuns Tories’ favourite spin doctor

This blog was under the impression that the spin doctor of choice for Tory MPs was Nick Wood, the party’s former director of communications, who now runs the PR firm Media Intelligence Partners.

But then again Nadine Dorries has never been one to run with the crowd.

Today’s Telegraph reveals that Nad has shelled out a few thousand pounds for  ’PR, research and media services’. But she chose not to go to former Times hack Wood - first choice for the likes of Hague and Duncan-Smith. Rather, she plumped for the little-known outfit… Marketing Management (Midlands) Ltd.

The Telegraph thinks it knows why Nick Wood missed out on this one…

And the lobbying firm making most use of Parliamentary banqueting facilities is…

Well, the figures have been counted and verified and the lobbying firm that has made the most use of Palace of Westminster dining facilities is… Political Intelligance.

The little-known consultancy headed by Nicholas Lansman racks up 10 mentions in today’s list of external bookings for parliamentary dining rooms by MPs.

In second place is Edelman on eight mentions and in third is Lexington Communications with four. Check out the PRW website tomorrow for more…

Other PR/lobbying firms to show up on the list are: APCO UK, Bell Pottinger, Burson Marsteller, Butler Kelly, Cicero Consulting, Connect Public Afffairs, Gayling Political Strategy, Lewis Communications, Westminster Advisers and The Whitehouse Consultancy. And Weber Sandwich.

But the records may not tell the full story. As previously noted the data covers bookings from 2004 to 2009, but no lobbying firms show up in the records after 2007. Lobbying chiefs I spoke to were at a loss as to why.

Were MPs suddenly advised to put the booking in the name of the client instead…?

Either way, even up until 2007, no single MP appears to have a particular desire to let the lobbyists in en masse. In fact, only nine MPs appear to have made more than one booking in the name of a lobbying firm. Just two MPs – Brian White and Richard Allan – made three bookings in the name of lobbying firms.

Other MPs such as John Whittingdale, Janet Anderson and Ed Davey were happily hosting events for lobbying firm that refuse to sign up the industry-wide codes of conduct…

But perhaps the most interesting firms to pass through the doors of the Palace was EUK Consulting. The records show that tobbaco lobbyists were given access to the Strangers Dining Room by Tory MP Robert Goodwill.

Holy smoke!

Labour MP coins new nickname for top lobbying agency

The records show that Labour MP Jamie Reed hosted a dinner event for Weber Shadwick in March 2006. A mere 14 people were expected for the cosy event in the Astor Suite.

But it seems that Jamie had some difficulty remembering the exact name of the global PR and lobbying giant when it came to filling in the form.

Rather brilliantly, he put it through as ‘Weber Sandwich’

(This gem was first pointed out here by Guido, along with many other juicy nuggets)

Revealed: who let the lobbyists in to parliament

Lots of appearances from lobbying firms in today’s list of external bookings for the Commons dining rooms, courtesy of Sir Thomas Legg.

The newly-relased document lists those dining facilities in the Palace of Westminster that were hired by members of parliament to host events for outside organisations.  This list covers the period from 1 April 2004 to 30 September 2009, and runs to 181 pages.

The Guardian observes that David Cameron hosted a tea event for the West Oxfordshire Lady Freemasons on 28 October 2008: ‘The records show that the event was held in dining room C and 14 people were expected.’

Sounds like a hoot.

Meanwhile, the lobbying firms making the most appearances on the list appear – at first glance – to be Edelman and Lexington Communcations. Other agencies to show up on the list include Bell Pottinger, Connect Public Affairs and Burson Marsteller.

We also get to find out who let them in the building…

More on this later. Strangely, however, none of the lobbying firms seem to have been let in after 2007.

Why not? What did they do?

UPDATE: Tamasin Cave of Spinwatch notes that lobbying firm Political Intellingence is a contender for most frequent visitor to the Palace dining rooms, as it appears to have been allowed access by MPs on no fewer than 11 occasions. But again no dinners after 2006…

Political rivals turn out for lobbyist party

It’s been an exciting few days for the lobbyists of Connect Public Affairs, after the firm hit the front page of the Sunday Times this weekend (see post below).

And last night the fun continued at a booze-fuelled bash to celebrate the official launch of its re-incarnation as Connect Communications.

To usher in the radical change, agency boss Gill Morris invited a select gathering to witness herself ‘in conversation’ with political types including Kevin Maguire, Michael White and Iain Dale.

Morris, known as lobbying’s leading lady, got a few chuckles after expressing deadpan atonishment that she had hit the front pages merely ‘for providing advice to a client’. But the always entertaining Maguire came up with the line of the night, describing Alastair Darling as ‘a safe pair of eyebrows’…

Mind if I borrow that one, Kevin?

Later on, as the booze continued to flow, Labour digital wunderkids Alex Hilton and David Prescott were spotted on one side of the room. Meanwhile while Dale and fellow Tory blogger Jonathan Isaby were forming a separate huddle some yards away.

Sensing it was about to kick off, I sloped off to the pub with Public Affairs News editor Ian Hall, leaving the hardy trio of Connect director Matt Bryant, Fishburn Hedges director Simon Redfern and local government think–tank chief Andy Sawford ready to intervene.

Cheers lads!

Sunday Times reveals lobbyists’ advice to Audit Commission

Lobbying has been out of the headlines for a bit, but now it’s back – thanks to this story on the front page of the Sunday Times.

The paper reports that the Audit Commission shelled out £60,000 to Connect Public Affairs amid conerns over plans being cooked up by Eric Pickles.  

So what were our friends at Connect were telling their client? According to the paper, they provided the watchdog with advice on ‘how to undermine Tory frontbenchers who challenged its activities’.

Fellow lobbyists will be intrigued to read how Connect lobbyists advised the watchdog to foment a rebellion in the Tory grassroots:

‘Many Conservative local authority leaders do not follow national party lines. Therefore there is a good opportunity for the commission to exploit any potential differences in opinion.’

Connect lobbyists also urged the commission to put up a ’strong local lobbying response in order to mitigate and combat the activities of Eric Pickles’.

Sensible stuff? Standard lobbying techniques? Perhaps so, but the Tories are claiming to be outraged that it has been payed for with taxpayer cash.

Pickles tells the Sunday Times: ‘It is disgraceful that I and other taxpayers have had to pay for the Audit Commission to do the Labour party’s dirty work.’

(The reference to the Labour Party seems to be exapined by the fact that senior folk at both the Audit Commission and Connect have strong Labour credentials….)

On Twitter today, the story provoked further reaction, from fellow lobbyist Bell Pottinger’s Peter Bingle to heavyweight Tory commentor Danny Finkelstein who went as far as to brand it a ’scandal’.

Meanwhile Connect director Matt Bryant was working himself in to a right old state. However his agitation was apparently unrelated to his firm’s unexpected appearance on the front page of the Sunday Times.

As the story hit the streets, sports nut Matt told his followers he was ‘trying to watch murray v federer but finding it unbearable…’

Two Tories quit CCHQ for lobbying roles

Lobbying firms have thus far struggled to lure Conservative staffers away from CCHQ, but could the tide be turning?

As the Tory machine gears up for the election with a recruitment drive, two of the team have decided to move in to public affairs.

Laura Davies, an aide to Chris Grayling is off to lobby for the Wine and Spirits Association. At the same time, Lisa Thomas, media adviser to the Tories’ environment and climate change team, has been snapped up by TLG as it continues to bolster its Tory credentials – and threaten the established order of Tory lobbying agencies.

It’s not exactly a tidal wave of resignations, but could yet prove to be the start of an oderly queue in the CCHQ departure lounge. Indeed, in a seperate development, Tory press chiefs have now made their minds up which press officers deserve Downing Street special adviser jobs and are even speading the word among certain lobby hacks…

PS. Apologies for the lack of posts of late. I was on the slopes. Normal service should now resume.

Tories search for new ad chief after Cameron airbrushing furore

As the dust settles on the recent debacle of the ‘airbrushed’ election ad, the Tories are looking to make a ‘senior addition to the brand communications team’.

An ad has just gone up for the job of General Election Brand Communications Manager at CCHQ.

It states: ‘This is a one-off opportunity to work with the team up to the General Election on all their advertising and marketing activity.’

Among the skills required in the new role are a ‘high level of diligence and attention to detail’.

Interesting eh?

Er, not really, insists a Tory source: ‘It’s just part of the usual staff increase that goes on prior to the general election. The new person will report to Anna Maren-Ashford, who’s got overall responsibility for brand management, and Tom Edmonds, who is deputy head of the department.’

So there you have it. A mere coincidence of timing.

And there was I wondering if Tory strategy guru Steve Hilton sensed the need to improve his team to avoid another clanger slipping through the net…!

Leading lobbyists compared to TV’s cockney crook Arthur Daley

How to get those secretive lobbyists to reveal their clients? The likes of Bell Pottinger Public Affairs are yet to be persuaded by calls from MPs on the public administration committee. Meanwhile the Government has shown little appetite for changing the law.

Now one Labour MP is upping the ante. The Evening Standard attributes the following quote to John Grogan:

‘The likes of Lord Bell and Peter Bingle of Bell Pottinger, and Alan Parker of Brunswick, are in danger of becoming the Arthur Daleys of the public affairs industry if they hold out against the declaration of clients.’

Ouch! Looks like it’s getting personal…

Tory lobbyist is behind Steve Hilton’s ‘Rasputin’ nickname

Many hacks covering the story of Tory strategy director Steve Hilton’s yobbish behaviour have used the same three word term to describe Dave’s image guru.

According to papers from the Telegraph to the Mirror, Hilton is a ’pint sized Rasputin’.

But who coined the term? Step forward the fragrant Tara Hamilton-Miller, Weber Shandwick lobbyist and former Tory press handler.

Tara came up with the phrase when she featured in a BBC documentaryby Michael Cockerill that aired in December 2007.

In the same breath, she also described Hilton as ‘incredibly intelligent’.

Sadly, that bit seems to have been forgotten…

Cameron turns to Obama

Rumour has it that Tory spinners plan to cast David Cameron as Britain’s Barack Obama. Strategy director Steve Hilton is especially keen, according to The Spectator’s astute online editor James Forsyth.

He recently wrote that: ‘Hilton… wants to run a campaign high on vision, presenting Cameron as both a unifying figure and the “change we need”.’

On the other hand, George Osborne thinks that the Tories need to have more of a retail offer, things to sell on the doorstep.

So whose advice will Cameron take?

An early sign that Cameron may take the Obama approach came on Radio 4 yesterday when Cameron asked about his recent commments on tax breaks for married couples.

‘I messed up up,’ said Dave.

Tory sources say it is no coincidence that Obama got out of a similarly tight corner in 2009 by admitting: ‘I screwed up.’

Cameron rewrites 1997 Blair speech for Sun readers

Did Dave’s speechwriters have a quick read of Tony Blair’s 1997 Labour conference speech before composing today’s “upbeat” New Year message to Sun readers?

In 1997 Blair told a packed conference hall:

“We are one of the great innovative peoples.  From the Magna Carta to the first Parliament to the industrial revolution to  an empire that covered the world; most of the great inventions of modern times with Britain stamped on them: the telephone; the television; the computer; penicillin; the hovercraft; radar…

“Even today, we lead the world, in design, pharmaceuticals, financial services, telecommunications.  We have the world’s first language.  Britain today is an exciting, inspiring place to be.  And it can be much more.”

And today Cameron tells The Sun’s readers:

“We’re also famous for our inventiveness. Over the years our little island has always punched above its weight by inventing the products the world wants, from Christmas crackers and television to penicillin and the jet engine.

“One of the biggest success stories of the past decade – the iPod – was designed by a Brit. Just imagine what British brains will give the world in the decade to come.”

As the Tories deploy the “Time for a Change” argument ahead of the election, more of this Blair-esque rhetoric is to be expected.

But a word of advice to Team Dave:

In future speeches along the same lines, try to avoid heaping praise on the milionnaire Formula 1 driver who avoids paying taxes in the UK by living in Switzerland…

Christmas greetings for Tory ‘chums’ and ‘Team Labour’

With the Tories still dogged by their ‘rich toffs’ image, Eric Pickles has been wheeled out to star in a festive film, direct from CCHQ.

No sign of Dave, George or Boris in this video, the latest ‘war room briefing’, intended to galvanise the party faithful. But Eric does spend a lot of time lurking beside a not unnattractive, though somewhat bored, young blonde lady he calls ’Phoebe’.

The festive film ends with various CCHQ staffers assembled around Pickles, Father Christmas and – inexplicably - a cardboard cut-out of Gordon Brown.

So one party leader did make an appearance after all…

No such video delights for the Labour troops, who have to make do with an email from Harriet Harman.

Her rallying cry summarises Labour’s attack strategy, with a David Brent-ish twist:

‘We have to protect people from the threat of a Tory Government.  They would bring austerity for the many and privileges for the few. Don’t believe the arrogant Tories. Working together as “Team Labour”, there is everything to fight for.’

‘Team Labour’? And just when you thought Harriet had a knack for soundbites…

Merry Christmas!