How much influence does big business have on MPs? - 29 Jan, 2007

Not as much as charities, says new research from the Hansard Society

An exclusive survey for the Hansard Society's new publication, Friend or Foe? Lobbying in British Democracy reveals that 62% of MPs claim that they are more persuaded by arguments put forward by charities and interest groups than businesses.

• 91% of MPs believe that charities are effective at communicating with them
• 88% of MPs believe that interest groups are effective at communicating with them
• 57% of MPs believe that business is effective at communicating with them

The survey suggests that lobbyists working in the corporate sector are not as good at communicating with MPs as they think they are - only 20% of MPs believed that ‘companies are generally more adept at lobbying than charities/pressure groups'. Lobbyists taking part in the survey expressed an exasperation with MPs who, they feel, do not give businesses the ‘benefit of the doubt' in the way that they might to NGOs or charities working in the same policy area.

Friend or Foe? Lobbying in British Democracy also reveals that the two most important factors for MPs when dealing with lobbying organisations are the impact of the issue on their constituents and the accountability of the lobbying organisation.

• 95% of MPs surveyed said impact on constituents was important
• 93% of MPs surveyed said accountability of the lobbying organisation was important

Clare Ettinghausen, Chief Executive of the Hansard Society, commented:

‘This research backs up our recent study of newly elected MPs which showed that constituents' concerns were a priority. Being lobbied by a pressure group rarely has as big an impact as being lobbied by constituents.'

Ben Atfield, Director of Ellwood and Atfield, commented:

‘The Hansard Society report demonstrates how widespread and professionalised lobbying activity has become and how it feeds into the policy-making process. The worrying aspect is that the survey shows that a majority of lobbyists themselves think that MPs do not trust them. There is obviously a great deal of work to be done to change these perceptions.'

For further information, contact Virginia Gibbons at the Hansard Society on 020 7438 1225 or 07812 765 552 or email mediaprog@hansard.lse.ac.uk

Editors' Notes

• Friend or Foe? Lobbying in British Democracy (ISBN 978 0 900432 63 2, £5) is launched on Wednesday January 31. It is available from the Hansard Society, 40-43 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1JA.
• Friend or Foe? Lobbying in British Democracy - a Hansard Society discussion paper by Dr Phil Parvin - is supported by Ellwood and Atfield.
• 160 MPs, 31 lobbyists and 25 political journalists took part in surveys for this publication.
• A Year in The Life: from member of public to Member of Parliament (ISBN 0 900432 58 6), £7.50, is available from the Hansard Society, 40-43 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1JA.