To David Cameron, the Prime Minister

Before you were elected in 2010 you described the practice of lobbying as “a big issue that we can no longer ignore”.  You added: “It is the next big scandal waiting to happen. It’s an issue that crosses party lines and has tainted our politics for too long, an issue that exposes the far-too-cosy relationship between politics, government, business and money.” 

You went on to say that the “£2 billion industry” has a big presence at Westminster and that in some cases MPs are approached more than 100 times a week by lobbyists. You vowed to “take the power away from the political elite and hand it to the man and woman on the street.”

However the practice continues unabated under your regime. 

The Coalition government’s personnel have been moving to and fro between the political corporate revolving door and earlier this week came news of taped exchanges with Bell Pottinger executives, almost on the heels of the Adam Werritty/Liam Fox scandal. 

The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency, a campaign group which has worked on these issues for years, has called for the immediate introduction of a statutory register of lobbyists, to open up the industry to wider public scrutiny.

 Tamasin Cave, a spokesman for the alliance, said: 

“Another month, another lobbying scandal involving this Government. The last led to the resignation of the Defence Secretary. This one leads straight to the Prime Minister. 

“Just last year, David Cameron was warning us of a £2billion influence industry ‘out of control’. The situation under his leadership is undoubtedly worse.”  

Since the ‘70s, political decisions by successive governments have demonstrably benefited a wealthy elite instead of those they were elected to serve.  

Prime Minister please be true to your pre-election undertaking.