These are turbulent and troubled times for the UK accounting industry and, more specifically, for the credibility of the members of its occupational associations who claim to be ‘professionals’ . At the heart of the troubles is the rapidity of change in legislation and the quickening of competition between major players in the industry. A series of scandals that caste doubt upon established claims to independence and trustworthiness, coupled with sustained questioning from sceptical politicians and academics, has not made life easier for those who seek to defend these established claims. In this paper, we undertake an analysis.
