Lobbying in the spotlight again

Labour MPs are highlighting a series of low profile meetings of high profile ministers and company execs, in networking meetings previously banned by the Cabinet Office. Reported in the Guardian today, the Chemistry Club arrange networking events where executives from companies such as Shell, BP and Russian oil giant Gazprom pay £1,800 a head to meet ministers from the Treasury, Home office, Ministry of Defence, and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Ministers include Ben Moxham, ex-employee of BP and now David Cameron's special advisor for energy and the environment. Execs from Apple, Google and Citigroup have also attended.

Labour MP Lisa Nandy says "It's been exceptionally difficult to get clear answers about who attends these meetings, and why. It's hard to avoid the impression that ministers are just paying lip service to the principle of open government. It cannot be right that lobbyists can provide access for cash... Ministers have serious questions to answer about whether lobbyists can buy influence with their government. The question remains, why would you pay thousands of pounds to network with civil servants if not to change policy or win a contract?" Tamasin Cave, of the transparency group Spinwatch, said the Chemistry Club characterised "a lobbying industry out of control".