Former Labor minister Jim Murphy’s determined lobbying efforts against defense and oil majors

Former Labor cabinet minister Jim Murphy’s firm has been lobbying Sir Keir Starmer’s government on behalf of arms manufacturers, oil companies and energy giants.

A client of Murphy Arden Strategies has appeared on the UK lobbying register for the first time since Labour’s July election victory.

Under transparency rules, Arden must declare companies it works with on the register this week.

Murphy’s firm was one of the New Labor government’s most prominent lobbyists.

A spokesman for Arden Strategies told the BBC: “We are proud of the work we do to support many successful businesses.”

Arden has spent tens of thousands of pounds sponsoring Labor conferences and events in the past 12 months, including helping more than 30 aspiring Labor MPs raise funds for their campaigns.

Arden also works for the Premier League, which, along with various football clubs, has given tens of thousands of pounds in freebies to Labor politicians, including Sir Keir.

Among the 29 client companies listed by Arden Strategies is defense giant Northrop Grumman, which supplies weapons parts to militaries around the world, including the Israel Defense Forces.

Arden hosted an event on behalf of Northrop Grumman at last month’s Labor Party conference in Liverpool.

Murphy also represents the Premier League and opposes Labour’s plans to set up a new football regulatory body.

The league and top clubs have spent more than £100,000 entertaining politicians in recent years. These included £4,000 worth of Taylor Swift tickets for Sir Keir, which were not among the gifts later returned by the prime minister.

Arden, whose oil and gas clients include NEO Energy, Equinor, Jersey Oil and Gas and Serica Energy, described Labour’s tax plans as “unjustifiably punitive”.

Other clients include Centrica, Cadent, Trainline, INEOS, British Universities and the British Soft Drinks Association.

An Arden spokesman said: “Arden Strategies joins dozens of organizations and hundreds of companies, including the BBC, in commercial sponsorship of political events.

“Commercial sponsorship of these events by the BBC, Arden and many other companies is not considered a political donation. As you know, this is the general approach taken by corporate sponsors of all political party events.

On Monday, Murphy’s firm, Arden Strategies, listed its clients in the latest version of the Register of Consultants and Lobbyists. The rules require companies to reveal only lobbying by government ministers, not opposition frontbenchers.

The firm is not listed as a member of trade body the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), which requires members to list public affairs clients.

According to social media posts seen by the BBC, Arden supported more than 30 future Labor MPs in the run-up to the election.

The total amount spent by Arden is unclear as individual amounts appear to be below the sponsorship threshold announced by MPs.

Two newly elected Labor MPs, Anna Turley and Blair McDougall, have worked for the lobbying firm.

Arden Strategies spent £1,200 to sponsor a fundraiser for four candidates who went on to become Labor MPs. Budweiser donated £9,000 to the event.

One of the beneficiaries, new Labor MP for Warrington South Sarah Hall, said she did not expect further support from Arden this year.

Arden also spent £2,320 on a fundraising dinner for three candidates vying for seats on the south coast.

Labor said: “We comply with all lobbying rules and regulations and all donations are declared in accordance with Electoral Commission rules.”

Jim Murphy served as a Labor MP for 18 years and held ministerial posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Europe minister and Scottish secretary.

He served as shadow defense secretary and shadow international development secretary under Ed Miliband before briefly leading Scottish Labor before losing his Westminster seat at the 2015 general election.

Labor candidates hosting fundraisers sponsored by Arden Strategies include:

Jack Abbott – Ipswich

Jesse Asato – Waveney

Rachel Blake – City of London and Westminster

Elsie Blundell – Haywood and Middleton

Jonathan Brash – Hartlepool

Sarah Coombs – West Bromwich Albion East

Pamela Cox – Colchester

Keir Cozens – Great Yarmouth (unelected)

Torquill Clayton – Western Isles

Helena Dollymore – Hastings

Kiris Entwistle – Bolton North

Hamish Falconer-Lincoln

Natalie Fleet – Bosover

Sarah Hall – Warrington South

Tom Hayes – Bournemouth East

Claire Hazelgrove – Felton and Bradley Stocker

Newcastle under Adam Georgie-Lyme

Satvir Kaur – Southampton Test

Martin McCluskey – Inverside

Kim McGuinness – Mayor of the Northeast

Josh McAllister – Whitehaven and Workington

Perran Moon – Camborne and Redruth

Darren Paffey – Southampton Itchen

Michael Payne as Gedling

Joe Platt as Leigh

Joe Powell – Kensington

Mike Reader – Northampton South

Oliver Ryan – Burnley

Mark Seward – Leeds South West and Morley

Alan Strickland – Sedgefield

Melanie – The Great Grimsby

Mike Tapp – Dover

Ben Taylor – South Croydon (unselected)

Fred Thomas – Plymouth Marsh View

Dan Tomlinson – Chipping Barnett

Anna Turley – Redcar

Katie White – Leeds North West