PRCA call for lobbying standards overhaul

Oliver Dean | 5th March 2026 | Lobbying, Politics

PRCA has called on MPs to overhaul the existing framework (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The UK Public Affairs Watchdog has called for a stricter framework to increase transparency and accountability

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has launched a fresh push for sweeping reform to lobbying transparency in the UK, warning that the existing framework captures only a fraction of activity in the sector and leaves many in the dark about what public affairs professionals really do. The industry body's On the Record campaign is calling on the government to extend regulation so that all lobbying is properly governed, documented and publicly reported. Under current rules, large parts of lobbying activity fall outside mandatory disclosure requirements. As such, much goes unreported. As part of the campaign's launch, the PRCA hosted a drop-in session for MPs at Portcullis House on the 4th March, where parliamentarians were invited to sign a pledge of support. Chief executive Sarah Waddington CBE and head of public affairs Louise Whatham have also held talks with the newly formed Ethics and Integrity Commission to discuss potential improvements to lobbying standards. ...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.