The social, economic and environmental challenges facing this country are not being effectively addressed, largely due to the distortion of policy-making by those on ‘an inside track, largely drawn from the corporate world, who wield privileged access and disproportionate influence’ according to a report by the Parliamentary Public Administration Select Committee [PASC].

The Political Cleanup website – http://political-cleanup.org/ – has been set up to raise awareness of widespread behind-the-scene lobbying and party funding. It will draw on the work of groups working on one or more aspects of this corruption of government decision-making, here and abroad. These self-serving activities are infinitely more damaging to the country than the acts of individual greed highlighted by the Telegraph.

First a group called Vested Interest in Politics gathered. VIP co-founder Margaret says: “commonsense has been replaced by corporate sense”.

Several VIP bulletins have been turned into articles for an online newspaper: http://www.thestirrer.co.uk/

• State of the nation
• Decisions should be made in the public interest
• VIP is born
• Similar problems in Indian politics
• Corruption of the democratic system
• The government’s response to the report of the Public Affairs Select Committee

There are currently 60 on the mailing list, including three journalists, a farmer, an agricultural scientist, an accountant, two MPs, software designer, party leader, archivist, architect, broadcaster, astrophysicist, oceanographer, founder & director of think-tank, founder & director of NGO, Human Security and arms control consultant, doctor, buildings manager, UNA activists, trustee of two respected charitable foundations, individual from Spinwatch, business consultant, academic/activist [food security], Anglican minister, monetary reformer, chartered electrical engineer, nurse, economist, two European Election candidates, webmaster, academic [built environment], town planner, linguist, academic [agriculture], aid-worker, two company directors, researcher [economics], several teachers, co-ordinator of think-tank, academic [physics/engineering], allotment holder, founder member of UN–affiliated NGO, district nurse, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, members of the Environmental Law Foundation & New Economics Foundation

As a first step, Political Cleanup supports the recommendations of parliament’s Public Affairs Select Committee (PASC) which are designed to prevent former ministers, serving MPs, Lords and other public servants from using contacts built up in public office to further their own and others’ private interests.

Email: webmaster@political-cleanup.org