Despite a string of recent scandals, a report by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations said little had been done to strengthen laws on lobbying thanks to MPs “not consistently beating the drum”. The report’s analysis found only a quarter of MPs had mentioned lobbying since the last general election, with interest spiking after major scandals and then dying down again to just nine mentions a month. Alastair McCapra, the chief executive of CIPR, said: “The findings in our report make for incredibly depressing reading. “MPs are not taking the issue seriously enough, the issue lacks year-round attention, and a cigarette paper can hardly be fitted between the three main parties when it comes to differences in the level of enthusiasm. The CIPR hopes to raise the profile of its campaign to reform lobbying laws with an event in Parliament on Tuesday.

Source: The Times April 24, 2023 23:09 UTC