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Lobbying, Crony Capitalism, and Broken Politics in Britain

Luke Blair

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Published in A Quiet Word: Lobbying Crony Capitalism And Broken Politics In Britain

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A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism and Broken Politics in Britain

by Tamasin Cave

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Language	:	English
File size	:	2030 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
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Print length	:	400 pages

Lobbying is a legitimate part of the democratic process, allowing businesses and other organizations to make their voices heard to policymakers. However, when lobbying becomes excessive or unethical, it can lead to crony capitalism and broken politics.

Crony capitalism is a system in which businesses and individuals with close ties to political power are able to gain unfair advantages over their competitors. This can lead to a range of problems, including:

Higher prices for consumers
Reduced competition
Lower quality goods and services
Increased inequality

Broken politics is a term used to describe a political system that is no longer responsive to the needs of the public. This can be caused by a number of factors, including:

Excessive lobbying
Crony capitalism
A lack of transparency
A lack of accountability

The UK has a long history of lobbying, and crony capitalism has been a feature of British politics for centuries. However, in recent years, there has been a growing concern about the influence of lobbying on British politics.

A number of high-profile scandals have raised questions about the ethics of lobbying in the UK. In 2009, it was revealed that the Labour Party had accepted donations from a number of wealthy businessmen in exchange for access to ministers. In 2010, it was revealed that the Conservative Party had accepted donations from a number of wealthy individuals in exchange for peerages.

These scandals have led to a loss of trust in the political system and a growing sense that the UK is run by a small elite of wealthy individuals who are more interested in their own self-interest than the public interest.

There is a growing consensus that the UK's lobbying system is in need of reform. A number of proposals have been put forward, including:

Introducing a statutory register of lobbyists
Limiting the amount of money that businesses and individuals can donate to political parties
Increasing the transparency of lobbying activity
Introducing tougher penalties for lobbying that is found to be unethical

It is important to remember that lobbying is a legitimate part of the democratic process. However, it is also important to ensure that lobbying is conducted in a fair and transparent manner. The UK's current lobbying system is in need of reform, and there is a growing consensus that action is needed to address the concerns about the influence of lobbying on British politics.