Bin the Bill – unions call on Lords to throw out controversial lobbying laws

Unions are calling on peers to throw out the Lobbying Bill when it comes before the House of Lords next week.

The House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution yesterday criticised the government for pushing through the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill with “undue haste”, saying not only would the Bill curb fundamental rights to free speech but it would also fail to restore public confidence in the political system and fail to increase transparency.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “This is the second all-party committee of Parliament to give the Lobbying Bill a good kicking.

“The continuing refusal of ministers to withdraw the Bill and start again with a proper process of consultation and a genuine aim to seek the widest possible agreement reveals the shabby partisan motives at its heart.

“The government has not even been able to say what exactly the problem is the Bill is meant to deal with. The only conclusion is that they want to use the law to gag people who disagree with them.

“We need more openness and debate about how we are governed. This bad Bill does the opposite, excluding most lobbyists and hobbling free speech. The government should withdraw it and start again, proceeding through consultation and consensus building to create rules that both work in practice and command wide support.”

The Bill arrives in the second chamber on Tuesday, where the NUJ has called for it to be throw out.

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “Remember the big society? It was David Cameron’s big idea to ‘encourage people to play a more active role in society’. Well, guess what? The big society is about to be gagged.

“This dangerous, anti-democratic piece of legislation has already been through the House of Commons with minor changes that do not address its major flaws. That is why we are asking peers to listen to the hundreds of charities and voluntary organisations, representing thousands of people, who have serious fears about how this bill will prevent legitimate campaigns and curtail freedom of expression.

“Peers should amend the Bill to ensure that all professional lobbyists are included on a register and that they sign a code of conduct. Cameron should listen to the professionals in the industry who have said this bill will do nothing to prevent scandals such as money for parliamentary questions or former ministers hiring themselves out “like taxis”.

“The third part of the Bill will increase red tape and regulation for unions. The proposals are anti-union and will impinge on the right of union members to freedom of association and the right to privacy.

“The NUJ wants the Bill to be binned and for the government to start again with a proper public consultation.”

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