Every time there is a lobbying abuse at Westminster, which is a regular occurrence, the government immediately announces they will introduce a charter to stamp out abusive practices and spread transparency. Nothing then happens until the next shameful incident which forces the government to act (or rather not act) immediately again. The last time round this arose, in 2011, the government promised a regulatory charter, but it would be voluntary (i.e. it applies only if you want it to).
As it turned out, as soon as the press sensation had died down, the matter was once again swept under the carpet. This time round, something might actually happen, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. And even before a bill is prepared, let alone agreed within the coalition and consulted on publicly, the Tories have already within hours diverted it for extraneous purposes to pursue their favourite pastime – bash the unions.
