UK lobbying firm faces calls to disclose alleged payments for favourable coverage

British lawmakers, lobbying professionals and transparency campaigners called on political consultancy CT Group to disclose details of alleged payments to journalists after a Guardian investigation reported that the firm’s lobbyists offered cash in exchange for favourable coverage of clients.

The Guardian reported on Thursday, July 23, that CT Group representatives told an undercover reporter they had paid journalists to place articles presented as independent coverage. The newspaper also said representatives offered the reporter cash incentives to pursue a story for a property-industry client and indicated the firm would seek greater editorial control in return.

CT Group disputed the characterisation of the events. In a statement reported by the Guardian, the firm said it does not comment publicly on client work, described the allegations as deliberately mischaracterised and said it neither engaged nor paid the undercover journalist.

The Guardian said its four-month investigation began after CT Group approached a freelance journalist about pitching an article to a British national newspaper concerning the Building Safety Regulator, which was created after the Grenfell Tower fire.

Rupa Huq, a Labour member of the House of Commons media committee, called for greater transparency in lobbying. Liberal Democrat MP Luke Taylor, who sits on Parliament’s public administration and constitutional affairs committee, said payments connected to reporting should be fully disclosed.

Industry and civil-society figures also raised concerns. Representatives of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Index on Censorship and Transparency International UK said undisclosed paid coverage could undermine confidence in journalism and lobbying.

The claims remain contested and are based on the Guardian’s investigation. The report did not identify a regulatory finding against CT Group.