Inside or outside the tent?

After the Cameron Euro veto we now have the PRCA UKPAC walkout.

When David Cameron said "Non" last weekend he gained a boost in popularity and triggered a wave of hand-wringing that will last far longer than the boost.

So what of the PRCA - is there any courting of popularity or public opinion bounce behind its move? I rather think so.

The decision to walk away from UKPAC came hard on the heels of the lobbying industry taking another major hit with the Independent's sting against Bell Pottinger. The PRCA says the decision is unrelated. Indeed, CEO Francis Ingham makes the point strongly in a heated debate on the PR Week podcast with Keith Johnston.

Now while I accept that a week is a long time in politics, how about this sequence of events.

Defending the reputation of lobbyists and attacking politicians in his blog on the PRCA website on December 6th, Ingham writes:

"We believe that since the PRCA and APPC merged our registers, and the CIPR reintroduced theirs, all under the auspices of UKPAC, that body is the quickest, and most effective route to deliver enhanced regulation."

The Independent Bell Pottinger story broke that day and triggered a wave of protests and even an official PRCA member complaint and professional practices enquiry.

On December 9, the PRCA resigns from UKPAC, and in a letter to Ministers, Ingham writes:

"We have come to the reluctant conclusion that UKPAC is simply not the right vehicle to deliver the statutory register which is the Government's aim."

My word - what happened between December 6's "quickest and most effective route" and December 9's "not the right vehicle". It can't be the Bell Pottinger story because we are assured the action was not related.

I think the phrase that most readily springs to mind is: "Pull the other one".

Personally and politically, I can see all sorts of reasons for what is effectively a trade body for business, to take the actions it believes are necessary to best protect its members interests when they are under threat. The argument goes: If UKPAC is about to be seen by Government as not fit for purpose, then let's get out now and get our criticism in first.

OK, so UKPAC is not perfect. And UKPAC may well get some Government criticism. But there were three PR and Public Affairs industry groups working together to try to make it better and one has decided to flee the scene and leave the others to answer questions.

Like children caught by the broken window, perhaps the other two should say - "It wasn't us that broke it, another kid did it and ran away".

But seriously, surely the place to be for any trade or professional body in this area is inside the tent working for a solution, not outside it.

And, much like Mr Cameron, I do believe that pressure from all around will bring the PRCA back to the table to work with the other players. I certainly hope so - our industry is much stronger if all the voices unite and fight together.