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In the first in a mini-series, Paula Keaveney MCIPR explores the importance of the Party Conference season in communicating with party members and the wider electorate. Party political conferences are about more than a get together. They are opportunities for a party to communicate to a wider world as well as to some of …
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The invention of the Northern Powerhouse aimed to bolster the north of England, rebalance the economy, secure devolution, and give it a presence on the global stage to help secure inward investment. But the halcyon days of constant positive announcements from Government have long gone. Now the North needs to fight even harder for the …
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The announcement of Crossrail’s delay and cost overruns have been accompanied by ongoing media stories about similar issues with HS2. Such failures will undermine political and community support for infrastructure projects and something has to be done. It has to be remembered that both projects built on the hope and optimism generated by the Olympics. …
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We have all seen CEOs perform in times of a crisis for their organisation. But what are the main traits that help them to perform well? What makes a good CEO in a crisis? The type of pressure faced in times of a crisis is different from other forms. The time available to think and …
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In June Cicero announced it’s buy-out of Westbourne to create the UK’s largest public affairs agency. Cicero Executive Chairman Iain Anderson reveals how difficult meeting and ‘warts and all’ honesty helped make it happen. There is nothing better than building a business and it’s been some summer for all of us at Cicero. Now I …
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The publication of the International Development Select Committee report into “sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector” suggested that there had been “more concern for reputations than victims”. This approach from organisations is not just wrong but also inflicts more reputational damage. Sometimes organisations need to inflict early reputational damage on themselves if they …
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With key decisions about Brexit looming, many have focused on the personalities and political implications. They should instead be thinking about their future communications and political engagement. UK organisations need to think about Brussels and EU organisations need to think about Westminster. In the general vacuum that has been the Brexit negotiation process, the media …
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The turmoil in British politics increases daily – and with it the possibility of a General Election within the next 12 months. Such an election would mean that any activity currently underway which could be seen as influencing the way people vote would be covered by the Lobbying Act and Electoral Commission’s regulations. Recent research from the Sheila …
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“How do you prepare for the unexpected and are you really ready if the very worst happens?” England had just gone out of the World Cup, the Prime Minister was under extreme pressure, two leading cabinet ministers had just resigned, Donald Trump was visiting the UK and it was Friday the 13th. The perfect day …
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Wiltshire Council communication chief Laurie Bell told the story of the unfolding Novichok crisis in Salisbury at the CIPR Northern Conference in Newcastle. In March the UK government reported that Novichok, a Russian nerve agent, had been used in a poisoning attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Skripal is a …