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Listening to @AnnTaylor_HoL @lloyd_rm & @petraschleiter
on the implications of repealing the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act at @ConUnit_UCL event. What are implications for the Transparency of Lobbying Act?
on the implications of repealing the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act at @ConUnit_UCL event. What are implications for the Transparency of Lobbying Act?
Currently, the Lobbying Act places limits on campaigning activity during a 'regulated period' - a year in the case of a General Election. Campaigners can work out when the regulated period starts by counting back a year from the date of a fixed GE.
But if the date of the election is movable, there's no way of knowing when the regulated period starts. This is a problem, because campaigners might overspend during a regulated period without realising.
Or they might hold back from campaigning on important issues because they're afraid of crossing the spending thresholds of the Lobbying Act, when actually they're not in a regulated period at all. This is the 'chilling effect' campaigners worry about with the current act.
So if the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act is repealed it will be imperative to look at the Lobbying Act as well, otherwise there will be constant confusion about whether lobbying is regulated or not.
