Lobbying, Democracy and Public Trust

This book presents an all-encompassing way to understand lobbying: the 'Diversion Guide'. This shows that lobbying is problematic when institutions are diverted from acting in the public interest. It reveals why diversions happen, how they are linked together, and what can be done to prevent them. The reader can use the 'Diversion Guide' to identify any problem about lobbying, and test when an officeholder has been diverted from acting in the public interest.
The book examines how lobbying can encourage citizen participation and lead to informed law and policy, but is not always fair. It considers the way in which wealthy and influential people can gain greater access to the United Kingdom's political system than most to shape the laws that govern everyone. Scandals are often reported in the media surrounding unequal access, corruption, the revolving door, and more. Unchecked, such lobbying corrodes trust in public institutions.
It is vital that the problems surrounding lobbying are clearly understood to avoid a system of weak regulations and to ensure that better regulations are created to restore public trust in politics. The 'Diversion Guide' can be used to this end.

Barry Solaiman is Assistant Dean of Students and Assistant Professor of Law at the College of Law, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar.