Following this week's revelations about lobbying, the Independent reports today that "the trade body which represents the UK's public relations and lobbying industry is to investigate Bell Pottinger over claims made by executives during a business pitch to undercover reporters".
A rival lobbyist, Mark 'stand up for lobbying' Adams, has made the complaint to the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA), one of three trade bodies running the lobbying industry's system of self-regulation.
Adams states: "I am a strong proponent of self-regulation for the lobbying industry...Ideally Bell Pottinger will clear their name and demonstrate they have done nothing wrong. But if they have behaved in an unethical manner, then the appropriate sanctions should be taken against them."
The toughest sanction available to the PRCA is that they terminate Bell Pottinger's membership. That's it. And you thought the Press Complaints Commission lacked teeth.
So the worst that can happen is that Bell Pottinger gets chucked out of the club. The result would be that they would no longer be required (under the PRCA rules) to declare their lobbyists and clients on a voluntarily register. They would join the scores of other agencies who choose to stand outside the system and remain in the shadows. ..read more
http://www.spinwatch.org.uk/blogs-mainmenu-29/tamasin-cave-mainmenu-107/5471-bell-pottinger-exposes-weakness-of-self-regulation-
A rival lobbyist, Mark 'stand up for lobbying' Adams, has made the complaint to the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA), one of three trade bodies running the lobbying industry's system of self-regulation.
Adams states: "I am a strong proponent of self-regulation for the lobbying industry...Ideally Bell Pottinger will clear their name and demonstrate they have done nothing wrong. But if they have behaved in an unethical manner, then the appropriate sanctions should be taken against them."
The toughest sanction available to the PRCA is that they terminate Bell Pottinger's membership. That's it. And you thought the Press Complaints Commission lacked teeth.
So the worst that can happen is that Bell Pottinger gets chucked out of the club. The result would be that they would no longer be required (under the PRCA rules) to declare their lobbyists and clients on a voluntarily register. They would join the scores of other agencies who choose to stand outside the system and remain in the shadows. ..read more
http://www.spinwatch.org.uk/blogs-mainmenu-29/tamasin-cave-mainmenu-107/5471-bell-pottinger-exposes-weakness-of-self-regulation-
