Corruption Beyond Bribery: lobbying, ethics and the law

Corruption Beyond Bribery

lobbying, ethics and the law Sussex Centre for Corruption Research September 9th 2013

Robert Barrington Executive Director, Transparency International UK

1

Transparency International • Global anti-corruption NGO • Founded in 1993 • Chapters in 100 countries • Research and advocacy

2

Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 Published December 2012

3

Corruption Perceptions Index

4

What is the post-Bribery Act challenge? • Using research to set priorities • Using research to support advocacy

5

What do opinion surveys tell us?

•Is this potentially corrupt?

• 80% - a public official taking a job with a company that s/he was previously responsible for regulating •86% - peerage for a businessman who has been a large political party donor UK Corruption Survey, TI, 2010 • 67% - Political parties in the UK are corrupt or extremely corrupt

GCB, TI, 2013

• 69% - it is “too easy for former ministers to get jobs that allow them to make improper use of their time in government” YouGov, January 2012

6

Is there a problem with lobbying?

To what extent is this country’s government run by a few big entities acting in their own best interests? GCB, TI, 2013

7

Is there a problem with lobbying?

• What is the evidence?

– – – – – –

Select Committee Chair’s independence being compromised (Yeo) conflicts of interest with a Prime Ministerial adviser (Coulson/Crosby) improper Ministerial access (Werrity/Fox) cabs for hire (Byers) Parliamentarians’ expenses (still in denial) honours for donors (constantly in denial)

8

Is there a problem with lobbying?

• Is it corrupt?

• What is the impact - who are the victims?

• Is it a problem of supply or demand?

• Could the current system be made to work?

• Is there a role for TI?

9

Is lobbying the problem?

• Revolving door • Parliamentary expenses • APPGs • Honours system • Political party funding

10

What do the scandals tell us?

• There is big money involved – but sometimes very small money • The media play an important role • Senior and well-established figures are vulnerable • Nobody seems to be in charge

11

What is the nature of the problem?

• Understanding the problem – Who is lobbied – How they are lobbied – What they are lobbied about

• How to influence without lobbying

12

What does a good lobbying law look like?

• US register of lobbyists • UK • Everywhere else

13

Is legislation the solution?

Learning from the Bribery Act – – – – – –

Adequate procedures Culture Personal integrity Tone from the top Transparency Enforcement

14

Ethics & integrity – a lost cause?

•

UK politics suffers continuous scandals

•

Money lies at the heart of many – and there is a supply of money

•

There is also a demand – from Parliamentarians and public servants

•

Laws cannot mandate ethics and personal integrity

•

What can?

15

www.transparency.org www.transparency.org.uk

16