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Lobbying transparency – we’ve got the commitment, let’s see the action!

For too long the lobbying industry has been able to influence parliament without proper oversight. This has undermined democracy and allowed corporate power to have privileged access to decision makers.

In a great victory for campaigners, earlier this year the British government finally committed to a statutory lobbying register, a mechanism that War on Want, as part of the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency (ALT), has been demanding for years. A register would cover the whole industry and provide public information about how lobbyists influence decision makers.

But we still don't know when a register will be introduced – or what shape it will take. Now it's time to build up the pressure in parliament to keep the issue at the top of government's agenda.

The recently introduced Early Day Motion 1542 calls for the immediate establishment of a register. Please send an email to your MP using the form below to ask them to sign the EDM.

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Dear ____,

For years the links between parliament and the lobbying industry have undermined our democracy. A series of scandals in the 1990s led to the introduction of self-regulation in the industry. But these voluntary schemes have not delivered sufficient transparency, and information regarding the fees, resources and tactics used by lobbyists is still not in the public sphere.

Following an 18-month inquiry into the industry, the Public Administration Select Committee made recommendations in January 2009 to clean up the murky world of lobbying. Founded by campaigning groups like War on Want, the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency formed shortly after the inquiry was announced to argue for increased transparency and better ethics in lobbying.

I'm pleased to see the government has committed to bringing forward legislation on one of the inquiry's key recommendations – a statutory register of lobbyists. Such a register would give the public access to critical industry details, including the names of parliamentary lobbyists, the people they meet with and the amount of money they spend.

However, we have yet to see the government provide concrete policy details or a timetable for action. As my MP, please sign EDM 1542 in support of a statutory register calling on the government to bring forward the necessary legislation as a matter of urgency.

Yours sincerely,

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