Posted on Politics has been dominated in recent years by Brexit and Covid. The amount of space for other issues, the ‘normal’ business of government, has had very little space. That is now starting to change, and we all need to be prepared for the rush of policies, ideas, consultations and, potentially, legislation. The machinery of government […]
Posted on There is no such thing as waiting for your turn when it comes to government announcements. It is dangerous to assume that simply because government makes one announcement that there is a definitive logic to the next. Instead, public affairs always has to help shape the policy future. You have to assume that there is […]
Posted on The Budget is one of the most important days in the political calendar and also the public affairs calendar. The initial focus is rightly on the individual details contained in the Budget. But we also need to think about what it tells us about the direction of Government policy and where it might go. What […]
Posted on The Spring 2021 edition of Influence is out now, featuring some of the best commentary and opinion from the world of PR and beyond. Below is the editor’s letter and a taste of what you can find in the first edition of the year… So often we can be fixated with milestones we can be taken by surprise when, […]
Posted on There is little doubt that communication has become more robust. This certainly helps to gain attention but is also a way to ensure that misinformation, or even ‘fake news’ is not allowed to go unchallenged. Whatever an organisation says or does may need to be defended. Organisations need to recognise this reality. Long form There […]
Posted on Politicians sometimes like to blame entire sectors for perceived failures even if they do not always entirely deserve it. With that blame comes reputational damage and the threat of new regulation. How can we avoid such a situation from arising? What is happening to social media companies provides some lessons for us all. It is […]
Posted on A Government announcement on a policy could mean celebration or commiseration. But that should not be the end of the engagement. In reality, it is the start of the detailed engagement. The UK Government has recently announced plans for tighter regulation of ‘buy now, pay later’ services. The media covered the issue in some detail […]
Posted on For many organisations, their public affairs activity will focus on Westminster and Whitehall but the real threats can come from outside those narrow confines. Without taking the time to look elsewhere, we could be missing our next big political challenge. For most public affairs matters, the key decision makers are those around the Parliaments and […]
Posted on Reports recently suggested that the Prime Minister has plans to make the UK the ‘Singapore of Europe’. The ‘regulatory freedoms’ delivered by leaving the European Union can be used to help our economy. But this approach needs political engagement by those who agree, and those that disagree. Being Singapore The article in City AM provided […]
Posted on The day-to-day of politics is often centred on personalities and positioning. Essentially, who has power and influence or who is on their way out. The focus is then on the Cabinet as one of the embodiments of power. But is worth thinking about the elements that shape a PM’s Cabinet. The announcement of a new […]