Embattled public relations firm, Bell Pottinger, has been expelled from the industry’s trade association after it was found that the firm was in breach of the industry’s ethics code.

The Public Relations and Communications Association(PRCA) said Bell Pottinger was unprofessional  and had brought the industry into disrepute.

Bell Pottinger is only the second agency to be excluded from the PRCA in the last ten years.

“Bell Pottinger has brought the PR and communications industry into disrepute with its actions and has received the harshest possible sanctions,” said Francis Ingham, director general of the PRCA. “The PRCA has never before passed down such a damning indictment of an agency’s behaviour.”

The PRCA’s professional practices committee and board voted unanimously to terminate Bell Pottinger’s membership which will last five years  regardless of whether the company changes name or ownership.