The wonderful Paul Flynn has now given me permission to publish his comments on the draft Lobbyists’ Charter. This is the email I received, giving his permission. It is pure gold itself:
“Please do as you wish as long as you make clear that was an instant response made nano seconds after receiving your self-serving drivel.
Living for the joy of witnessing you presenting this to select committees. I’ll try not to laugh out loud.
Feel free to quote me at length. It will be the most intesting part of your epistles
Best
Paul”
So here are his annotated comments on the draft:
“· Lobbying is a fundamental democratic right of us all
· WHICH IS UNEVENLY AVAILABLE.
·
· Professional lobbying should be conducted at all times in a professional and ethical manner. REMINISCENT OF SINNING FOR VIRTUE or SHAGGING FOR VIRGINITY
· Professional lobbyists assist the democratic process by helping to ensure that public policy is subject to rigorous examination and argument. They present information that allows the policy process to be better informed THEY SEEK TO FURTHER ADVANTAGE THE ALREADY ADVANTAGED IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY.
· It is entirely legitimate for an organisation to use the services of a professional lobbyist, whether by employing them directly or by hiring them through a lobbying company.THOSE TOO STUPID TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES WITH MONEY TO WASTE USE CHINESE WHISPERERS WHO OFTEN WEAKEN AND DISTORT THEIR MESSAGES>
· Professional lobbyists should be subject to a rigorous Code of Conduct, whether on a self-regulatory or statutory basis, designed to enshrine high professional and ethical standards to the benefit of all. SELF-REGULATION IS NO REGULATION. ARE ETHICS PART OF PARASITIC FEEDING OFF THE BOBY POLITIC?
· To ensure that professional lobbyists offer services of the highest standards, structured training and continuing professional development programmes should be developed. MADRASAS FOR TEACHING DECEPTION?”
I particularly love the last point. I most certainly look forward to appearing before the Committee Paul Flynn sits on.
Well this is not a mature debate .. let’s move on …
Totally agree with Robbie’s comment. We also need to move on from key principles to standards that are kept in check by those they apply to by someone capable of overseeing their compliance. Step forward a beefed up UK PAC or CIPR professional standards body? The route to professionalisation did not and should not stop at Chartered status. No other profession would allow unethical conduct and malpractice to be so publicly ignored and left unchallenged.