Scotland's most influential public relations companies are staffed by former politicians, government ministers, spin doctors and newspaper editors, The Ferret has found, exposing the "revolving door" between politics, the media and lobbying.

These well-connected figures are now being paid to represent the interests of the UK's largest businesses including fossil fuel and energy multinationals, big finance, and arms firms.

Lobbying is a normal part of the democratic process, allowing businesses and civil society alike to raise issues with elected representatives. A move to public relations consultancy from journalism or politics is considered standard by many in the industry.

Parliamentary rules aim to prevent former ministers and senior civil servants from lobbying for two years after leaving these roles. But they are free to work as corporate lobbyists thereafter. The Ferret has not found any examples of any Scottish firm breaking these rules.

Tom Brake, of Unlock Democracy, called for the ban to be extended from two to five years after leaving office or employment. The "revolving door" between government and PR "gives these firms, and their clients, an unfair advantage," he said, "particularly when a former elected official or special advisor walks away with a detailed understanding of important processes such as procurement rules or an extensive list of favoured contacts."

Agustina Olivieri, head of campaigns for the Good Law Project, said the revolving doors between Holyrood and corporate interests were "spinning as smoothly as ever" and "glaring loopholes" should be closed. Politicians should listen to those with "real policy expertise based on a social justice agenda" rather than "the dizzying spin of corporate lobbyists pushing for tax cuts or shilling for oil and gas barons," she argued.

Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman said there was a culture of "groupthink, of chumminess and game-playing" that led an already disenfranchised public to become more frustrated. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer only 30 percent of people in the UK reported trust in the government in 2024.

"Politicians should always seek to further the interests of their constituents and of Scotland as a whole. We cannot do that if the means to get there only involves a select few in the same echo chamber," she added.

As part of its Who Runs Scotland series, The Ferret has profiled five of Scotland's most influential PR and lobbying firms to see who's behind them and who they represent.

Profile key

Revolving doors score:

We've given the PR firms below a "revolving doors score", which is calculated as follows:

Founder (past or present) is a political or media figure = 2 points (3 points if both)

Current associate is a political or media figure or has worked for a client = 1 point

Lobbying figure:

This is the number of times the company has lobbied in Scotland since the last Scottish Parliament election.

Arden Strategies

HQ: Motherwell

Founder: Jim Murphy

Established: 2015

Murphy is part of the Labour establishment. He served as the MP for East Renfrewshire (formerly Eastwood) from 1997 to 2015 and held multiple cabinet roles including secretary of state for Scotland. In the run-up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum Murphy undertook a pro-union tour of the country - in which he substituted Irn Bru crates for the traditional soap box - which was suspended following abuse from Yes supporters. Elevated to Scottish Labour leader following the referendum, he resigned following the party's collapse at the 2015 Scottish election where they lost 40 out of 41 seats, including his own.

In the early days of Arden Strategies - which takes the name of the Glasgow housing estate where Murphy was born - Better Together campaign director Blair McDougall worked with Murphy as a "senior strategist". McDougall, a former Labour party advisor, worked there until his successful bid for Murphy's former East Renfrewshire seat in last July's election.

Murphy ha...