Last week, openDemocracy revealed that ACOBA had met just once since December 2019 and not published any minutes.
Former ministers and senior civil servants have to notify the appointments watchdog if they plan to accept a job in the private sector with potential links to their former area of responsibility. Since 2010, ACOBA has not refused a single application.
George Havenhand, senior legal researcher at Spotlight on Corruption, said that Pickles’ involvement with the Enterprise Forum highlighted the need for “systemic reform” of Britain’s lobbying system.
“To most ordinary people, having Lord Pickles as both chair of ACOBA, the body advising politicians on what business appointments they can take up, at the same time that he is president of a group that facilitates business involvement in the Conservative Party is clearly a potential conflict of interest that needs to be fully declared and openly managed.”
Last month, the Council of Europe called on the United Kingdom to publish its plans for preventing corruption and promoting integrity in government, such as curbing conflicts of interests among ministers and senior government officials. The council has recommended that ACOBA be placed on a statutory footing.
Alex Runswick, senior advocacy manager at Transparency International UK, said the “blurred lines between public roles and private interests” is undermining public trust in integrity in public life.
“We need to be able to trust that decisions are being made for the public good and not for the benefit of friends or special interests. Replacing ACOBA with a new statutory body with stronger teeth is a crucial part of building that trust,” she said.
Labour shadow Cabinet Office minister Fleur Anderson told openDemocracy: “Over the last decade this Conservative government has weakened transparency, and as sleaze scandals build up, they choose to look the other way.
“Labour would introduce an Ethics and Integrity Commission that would clean up cronyism from the heart of government.”
The government announced an investigation into lobbying this week following revelations about David Cameron’s efforts to influence ministers on behalf of Greensill, including texting the chancellor, Rishi Sunak.
Bill Crothers, a former government chief procurement officer, was also employed as a part-time adviser to Greensill in 2015 whilst still working as a civil servant. Crothers later became a director at the firm.
Commenting on Andrew Cumpsty’s appointment to ACOBA, a Cabinet Office spokerson told the i: “Mr Cumpsty was appointed to the committee following an open competition and chosen precisely because of his experience in local government and in public affairs.”
Eric Pickles and the Enterprise Forum were contacted for comment.
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Peter Geoghegan | Radio Free (2021-04-15T16:15:14+00:00) Lobbying watchdog chair failed to publicly declare role on Tory business forum. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2021/04/15/lobbying-watchdog-chair-failed-to-publicly-declare-role-on-tory-business-forum/
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