The lobbying bill risks gagging charities and campaign groups, while letting lobbyists of the hook

The Government’s Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning & Trade Union Administration Bill will receive its Second Reading on September 3rd. Critics of the Bill have been unequivocal about legislation which has been described by some commentators as a ‘dog’s breakfast’. Here, Peter Bradley of Speakers’ Corner Trust argues that the Bill not only misses a real opportunity to introduce an effective statutory register of lobbyists, but could also damage the ability of charities, trades unions, and campaign groups to do their jobs.