Lobbyists Out Of Control At Westminster

Neither Cash for Questions, Cash for Honours nor Labour's millionaire donors, nor any of the other similar upsets, has done anything to unravel a political culture with old school ties,friendship, influence and PR murkily entwined.
For evidence, one need look no further than the boasts from Bell Pottinger outlined in today's Independent report. It is, apparently, "not a problem" to get "messages" through to the Foreign Secretary or the Prime Minister's principal advisers. Even allowing for the arrogance of the sales pitch, such claims are an embarrassment for the Conservative Party.
But the standing of the Tories is the least of it. It is the cheapening of the entire British political establishment that is so unforgivable. In the wake of Liam Fox's career-ending links with Adam Werritty, Bell Pottinger's claims only add to the sense of government-by-network, of parallel power structures accessible to those who can pay.