Time’s up for the lobby industry, says Alastair McCapra

Alastair McCapra | 31st March 2026 | Comment

Before becoming Prime Minister, Keir Starmer pledged to clean up politics and lobbying. But, 18 months into the job, it is only after a major scandal that change is being discussed. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Why reform of UK lobbying rules is urgently required, says Alastair McCapra, CEO of CIPR

In UK politics we have often seen rushed, reactive legislation, passed in the wake of public outrage that has cut through the Westminster bubble and captured the public’s attention. The Electoral Administration Act was introduced in 2006, shortly after the cash for honours scandal, and Gordon Brown introduced the 2009 Parliamentary Standards Act in response to the MPs expense scandal. We may soon have some new laws in response to another scandal. As I write this, the newly formed Ethics and Integrity Commission has been instructed by the government to review Westminster’s Business Appointment Rules, the arrangements surrounding the publication of financial interests for ministers and senior government officials, and - most interestingly for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) - Westminster’s lobbying laws. This follows the revelations surrounding Peter Mandelson allegedly sharing market-sensitive government information with Jeffrey Epstein while he was a minister. Detail...

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