In Defence of Lobbyists

Amol Rajan – author of the splendid Twirlymen – has an entertaining rant against lobbyists in the Independent today. Entertaining, of course, is code for less than mightily persuasive. Lobbying, Amol complains, is nothing but “legalised bribery”. This is the accepted view and just the sort of thing sensible folk are supposed to believe.

Distasteful as you may find the business, one does wonder what the anti-lobbying fraternity think is a viable alternative. ‘Tis easy to despise lobbyists but they fulfill an essential role and one that, more importantly, needs to be protected. That this can produce unfortunate outcomes is not the point; the principle of the thing – the right to petition MPs and parliament – is rather more important. To the extent there are problems with any of this, lobbying and the sharp-suited chaps hired to do the job are symptoms, not causes.

I should declare an interest: I have chums who are lobbyists and I do not see them as venal threats to democracy.