Lobbying and Public Affairs in the UK

This is a study into political lobbying and how it §has become a feature of modern strategic business §marketing. It includes the first longitudinal study §of UK Political Party Conferences over the period §1994-98 during the Major and Blair administrations §as market places for business to business marketing §as well other political lobbying activity.§§The study uses interviews with senior public affairs §executives, politicians, civil servants and not for §profit campaigners and organisers to research issues §and emerging practice. A case study on Sunday §Trading is developed to outline the features and use §of political lobbying and marketing to gain §strategic advantage. This is supported by a number §of case histories which include The National §Lottery, Small Pharmacists, Food Labelling, Local §Government Planning, Drug Patents, Energy Tax, §Television and Regulated Industries which are §explored and the principal features and emerging §practice outlined. The link between regulation or §position in a market and levels of political §lobbying activity is explored and theoretical §constructs proposed.