Maya Forstater

Is this one of those irregular verbs? You propose, but banks lobby?

Seriously? If you think the same verb applies to the transparency advocacy of civil society activists for tax justice, as to the opacity lobbying of paid advisers to protect tax abuse, you are far through the looking glass

I get that you think you are a good guy, and they/we are the bad guys, but back in the real world, anyone who lobbies for a particular outcome is a lobbyist.

I don't see any need to personalise things, this is just about the accurate use of language: there is no equivalence between activism intended to promote socially progressive outcomes (which you, Dan, may think good or bad); and promoting policies that favour clients financially.

There are plenty of people who genuinely think that public CBCR is pointless or counterproductive. Their advocacy is morally equivalent to the advocacy of NGOs who think public CBCR would be a positive. I would assume both sides are acting in good faith.

That's an unrelated point - people can have any view of anything, often in good faith. But do you disagree that people advocating for social change are performing a different activity from people who are putting forward positions to benefit their clients financially?

Someone at an NGO advocating position X and someone at a bank advocating position Y are in the same position. Both paid for what they do. Both, I expect, acting in good faith.

I'm going to have one last try because I feel a bit sad about what seems to be the answer. Do you disagree that people advocating for social change are performing a different activity from people who are putting forward positions to benefit their clients financially?