Tweeting

Twitter suspends Britain First

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Twitter revised its hate speech rules, which then led to the suspension of the official Britain First account and the accounts of its leaders: Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen.

The new rules have been brought in to ‘reduce hateful conduct’ and ‘abusive behavior’. Twitter has broken down its new policies into two sections:

New rules on violence and physical harm:

‘Accounts that affiliate with organizations that use or promote violence against civilians to further their causes. Groups included in this policy will be those that identify as such or engage in activity — both on and off the platform — that promotes violence. This policy does not apply to military or government entities and we will consider exceptions for groups that are currently engaging in (or have engaged in) peaceful resolution.

‘Content that glorifies violence or the perpetrators of a violent act. This includes celebrating any violent act in a manner that may inspire others to replicate it or any violence where people were targeted because of their membership in a protected group. We will require offending Tweets to be removed and repeated violations will result in permanent suspension.’

Expanding the rules to include related content:

‘Any account that abuses or threatens others through their profile information, including their username, display name, or profile bio. If an account’s profile information includes a violent threat or multiple slurs, epithets, racist or sexist tropes, incites fear, or reduces someone to less than human, it will be permanently suspended. We plan to develop internal tools to help us identify violating accounts to supplement user reports.

‘Hateful imagery will now be considered sensitive media under our media policy. We consider hateful imagery to be logos, symbols, or images whose purpose is to promote hostility and malice against others based on their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin. If this type of content appears in header or profile images, we will now accept profile-level reports and require account owners to remove any violating media.’

Twitter aims to be ‘more aggressive’ in its enforcement of these new policies as it attempts to battle the perceived hate flooding the platform. It acknowledges that it ‘may make some mistakes’, and is working to create a ‘robust appeals process’.

That the platform has moved forward to remove extremist Britain First accounts before creating this appeals process is testament to the problem Twitter is facing. That said, new accounts for Britain First and Jayda Fransen are now on the platform, the latter having joined yesterday. It’s unclear if these are genuine or how they’ll be treated by Twitter’s policies.

Other accounts that could be argued to breach policies remain active – from Katie Hopkins, whose tweets this morning suggest she fears being suspended (no links, feel free to check out her tweets), to President Donald Trump, who has previously retweeted controversial Jayda Fransen videos.

Twitter founder and CEO Jack Dorsey has previously said Donald Trump’s tweets are important as they allow him to be held accountable. They’re also ‘newsworthy’ and so allowed to remain as part of the discussion.

The problem with these new policies is drawing certain lines of acceptability for users, which only seem to apply to some. It’s not clear if Twitter genuinely believes Trump’s policy-breaching behaviour is actually important news or if they’re protecting their business by staying relevant. It could be argued that the more influential and higher status the individual, the more damaging their hate and violence-filled speech is.

Expect this story to build momentum as further accounts are suspended and, perhaps more significantly, others are allowed to remain.

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 19 December 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including no special deal for the City, May’s third Brexit speech, Paradise Papers legal action and racial bias in the justice system.  

No special deal for the City
Featuring on the front page of the Guardian this morning is EU negotiator Michel Barnier’s ruling out of a special arrangement that would protect City firms. Barnier has warned that upon leaving the Single Market, the UK’s financial services sector will lose the right to trade freely.

Theresa May is preparing her third major Brexit speech
Theresa May has started preparing for her third major Brexit speech that will outline the UK’s future relationship with the EU. According to The Financial Times, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson all back regulatory divergence from the EU as part of an ambitious trade deal.

Paradise Papers legal action condemned
Key media partners in the Paradise Papers investigation have spoken out against legal action that would force the BBC and the Guardian to disclose documents used by reporters. The Guardian has reported that the editor-in-chief of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung and the director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists have reacted to Appleby’s launch of breach-of-confidence proceedings against the BBC and the Guardian.

Government steps up to call to address racial bias in the justice system
Secretary of State for Justice David Lidington has today announced measures to implement recommendations made in David Lammy MP’s Government commissioned review of race disparity. The Guardian has reported that a pilot programme being considered by the Government could mean that prosecutions of suspects in London could be deferred or dropped.

Department for Transport has the widest gender pay gap in Government
The BBC has reported that the Department for Transport has the widest gender pay gap of any government department, with women earning on average 16.9% less than their male counterparts. According to new government figures, the Department for Culture, Media, Digital and Sport has the narrowest gender pay gap, with men earning 3% more than women.

Ministry of Defence confirms £3.1bn aircraft carrier leaks
Both the Guardian and The Financial Times have reported confirmation from the Ministry of Defence that the £3.1bn HMS Queen Elizabeth is leaking. After less than a month in service, the most expensive warship to ever be commissioned by the Royal Navy has a problem with a shaft seal.

 

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Politics on Sunday – 17 December 2017

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Did you miss the political coverage from Sunday’s political programmes and news?

After last week’s dramatic vote on Brexit, attention has turned to Labour’s vision of post-Brexit Britain. Corbyn has stayed relatively quiet on this front recently, capitalising on divisions in the Tory party and largely letting them unravel themselves.

But on Sunday, Diane Abbott, Tom Watson and Richard Burgon all appeared to back different approaches – Abbott claiming that Labour doesn’t support a second referendum, Watson ruling nothing out and Burgon saying the party could see a role for the European Court of Justice after the Brexit transition period.

Divisions were also clear to see between Conservative MPs Nadine Dorris and Ken Clarke – the former is an outspoken critic of rebel Tory MPs, while Clarke is an outspoken critic of Brexit. He dismissed the idea that voting in favour of Dominic Grieve’s amendment had made a Corbyn-led Government any more likely.

Check out the dedicated Canvas of political coverage by clicking here or on the image below. Want to make your own canvas? Find out how. 

politics on sunday

PR master

7 tips to become a PR Jedi Master

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Sick of hearing that public relations is the ‘dark side’? Chances are you’re already a PR Jedi but we’re here to guide you to the next level so you can become a Master of the light side. 

*And don’t worry, no ‘The Last Jedi’ spoilers.*

A Jedi is selfless, doesn’t show emotion and stays in control for the good of others. A Jedi never uses their lightsaber to attack.

The dark side is about emotion over control, reacting with your heart rather than your head and attacking for your own needs. Which may sound like some industries, but not the PR industry.

It’s difficult to see in what way a PR pro isn’t already a Jedi; they manage reputations on behalf of others, always attempting to stay calm in order to maintain control in any situation. Their output is not determined by emotional responses but carefully considered to remain professional. And if the pen is mightier than the lightsaber, a PR uses theirs in defence of the business or brand they represent – and never to attack others.

Congratulations young Padawan – you’ve already attained Jedi status. But now it’s time to go one step further; become a Master with these simple tips:

1. Be patient
It takes time and hard work to become a Master, no one gets there overnight. It may feel like you’re brimming with incredible ideas that senior staff – the Masters – don’t understand the significance of. Be patient, they have the full picture and the final say; keep working hard and understand your current place in the order, and you’ll get there.

2. Control your emotion
A PR pro knows they need to remain clearheaded to be an effective communicator, and while ‘there’s no such thing as bad publicity’ may work for some, it’s better not to get into petty squabbles with irate customers or cheeky competitors. Keep your cool to emerge victorious.

3. Gather all the facts
If an emotional reaction is instinctive and immediate, the opposite is considered and in possession of all the facts. Sometimes, not taking action seems like a mistake but caution is a PR’s ally when the story is generally told by others (your influencers).

4. Learn how to defend yourself
Jedi do not attack others but they definitely defend themselves. Firefighting is a bigger or smaller part of a PR pro’s job depending on the nature of the business being represented, but the need to defence can arise for any PR at any time. If something unexpected happens you need to know how to manage it, using all your Jedi powers.

5. Complete the story
A dark lord acts and moves on, not stopping to consider the outcome of their actions (or whether the rebel alliance are now forming a counter attack). A Jedi Master takes time to assess what’s been before and tells that story to the Jedi Council so they can plan what’s next. Use Vuelio Monitoring, Reporting and Canvas to make sure you can see the full picture of your work and easily deliver it to your own Jedi Council (the board).

6. Do or do not. There is no try.
Don’t spend forever planning and thinking about something. Maybe you’ve got the perfect campaign pitch, you’re desperate to start using video or you want to build relationships with the biggest bloggers in the business. A PR Master follows through on their plans, and doesn’t let the fear of failure take over. After all, as our friend Yoda says: ‘Fear is the path to the dark side…fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.’

7. Use the force
Obviously.

 

Good luck young Padawan.

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 18 December 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including the ‘Brexit Cabinet’, divisions in Labour, cold war relations and May being urged to remain as PM. 

May to hold a Brexit Cabinet meeting
Reuters reports that Theresa May will hold a meeting with her ‘Brexit Cabinet’, to discuss what the relationship between the UK and the EU should look like going forward. This could cause conflict as different members of May’s cabinet have very different ideas of the relationship that should be pursued.

Labour divided over second referendum policy
Diane Abbott insisted a second EU referendum is not the policy of the Labour Party. The Guardian reports on this in the interview Abbott conducted on the Andrew Marr Show. The same article also looks at remarks Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson made on Pienaar’s Politics where he said backing for a second referendum could not be ruled out.

A return to Cold War relations
The Independent reports on remarks made by Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, who said relations between Russia and the West have not been so bad since the Cold War. He went on to accuse Russia of undermining democratic elections. These remarks come ahead of Johnson’s visit to Russia where he will hold talks with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Johnson said collaboration is needed with Russia.

May urged to stay on as PM
The Times has reported that Theresa May is being urged by cabinet ministers and senior backbenchers to stay on as leader of the Conservative Party until 2021 to avoid conflicts within the party during a time of essential trade talks with the EU. This contrasts with suggestions that the Prime Minister would struggle to remain in the job beyond Christmas after losing a Commons vote last week.

Damian Green to learn inquiry outcome
Damian Green will likely learn the outcome of the inquiry into allegations against him regarding misconduct in the next couple of days. The Telegraph suggests the outcome will focus on Green’s denial that pornography was found on his work computer. It has been suggested that Green will likely be cleared as the incidents under investigation took place when he was not a minister.

Cable accuses Corbyn of deceit
The Daily Express reports that Vince Cable has accused Jeremy Corbyn of deceiving young people over his true feelings regarding Brexit. Cable also went on to say that there is no chance of him aligning in a coalition with Corbyn in the future. Cable’s remarks come after Nigel Farage claimed Corbyn hid his true Brexit beliefs due to pressure from his party.

 

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Disney

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 15 December 2017

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Our weekly round-up of the biggest stories from media, PR and comms including the mother of all acquisitions, UCL’s white campus and the words, and terms, of 2017.

1. Disney to buy 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets
Disney has announced that it is to acquire 20th Century Fox and other entertainment and sports assets from the Murdoch empire. The $52.4 billion all-stock deal will include the broadcaster Sky if Fox is successful in its takeover. Disney chairman-CEO Bob Iger has extended his contract for another two years, to 2021, in order to oversee the ‘integration of assets’. It is also reported that Disney expects to realise $2 billion in cost savings from overlapping business functions.

The huge merger has raised questions over competition in the market, the future of the Murdoch empire and, perhaps most significantly, how long it will be for X-Men to feature in the Avengers movies.

2. Max Clifford
 Disgraced publicist Max Clifford died this week in prison. A man who was famous for creating false stories and representing kiss-and-tell ‘celebrities’, Clifford’s career came to an abrupt end in 2014 when he was convicted of a string of abuses against women and girls. The PR industry has been keen to further distance itself from the man who has been described as someone who ‘did a disservice to the honest public relations industry but had no lasting influence on it’.

3. UCL’s white campus
 In tweet blunder of the week (no, regular Five Things readers, it’s not The Donald), University College London tweeted: ‘Dreaming of a white campus?’. While they were, of course, referencing the snow in London, on Twitter offence is like wildfire; quickly out of control. It led to the UCL apology, where they admitted to choosing their words ‘very poorly’. Unfortunately, this caused more outraged from those that believe Twitter ‘snowflakes’ (yes, very funny etc) shouldn’t be so easily offended.

4. Google in 2017
The most Googled terms of 2017 have been revealed by the search engine, with Meghan Markle dominating the UK’s searching habits this year. The full list includes a mixture of news and technological events, reflecting the year that was. Google also released most searched questions, for example ‘How to buy Bitcoin’, as well as global data where the French election was dominant but Trump didn’t make the cut.

5. Youthquake
The Oxford English Dictionary has announced its word of the year, which for 2017 is ‘Youthquake’. The word refers to the rallying of young people by Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party during the 2017 General Election, and saw a 400% increase in usage from 2016. That said, if a word is used once in 2016, it only needs to be used five times in 2017 to achieve a 400% rise. Other words which made the list include ‘antifa’ (groups united by militant opposition to fascism) and ‘broflake’ (a man upset by progressive attitudes which conflict with his more conservative views). The word of the year traditionally ‘defines’ the year and has previously included ‘chav’ in 2004, ‘credit crunch’ in 2008 and ‘vape’ in 2014.

Britain and Europe

Vuelio Brexit Bulletin, 15 December 2017

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As the EU (Withdrawal) Bill continues to progress through the House of Commons, we bring you the latest news, developments and reaction in our Brexit Bulletin.

  • The UK and the European Commission have published a joint report, setting out the details of their agreements on citizens’ rights, the Irish border, the financial settlement, and other areas. This followed frantic diplomacy to reach an agreement on Ireland which was acceptable to all sides.
  • The Government has suffered a defeat on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill after 11 backbench Conservative MPs rebelled. The legislation now specifies that Parliament will get a meaningful vote on the deal.
  • EU leaders have agreed that the UK-EU agreement represents ‘sufficient progress’ and have drawn up guidelines for the initial part of phase two negotiations, including the transition period. Guidelines for discussing the framework of the future relationship will be adopted in March, but in the meantime the EU wants to know more about the UK’s ambitions for its shape.

 

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head of news and current affairs

Fran Unsworth appointed head of BBC news

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Fran Unsworth has been appointed director of news and current affairs at the BBC. She will replace James Harding, who announced  his departure in October, at the beginning of 2018.

Unsworth is a career BBC journalist, starting on local radio in 1980 before joining Radio 1’s Newsbeat.  She later joined Radio 4’s The World At One and PM. She became home news editor and then head of political programmes in 2001. She was head of newsgathering and for two periods in 2012 and 2013, she was acting director of news and current affairs.

On 8 December, Unsworth was made director of the BBC World Service Group, which is her current role. As director, she is currently responsible for the BBC’s global news services as well as BBC Monitoring.

Her appointment comes after James Harding announced he was leaving to set up a new media venture, with ‘a distinct approach to the news and a clear point of view’.  More details of this news start-up are yet to be announced.

BBC director-general Tony Hall is ‘delighted’ with the appointment of Unsworth. He said: ‘The director of news and current affairs is one of the most demanding of any in broadcasting. [Fran] brings a combination of excellent news judgement, authority, management knowhow, and the trust of her colleagues both in news and across the BBC.’

Private Eye had, earlier this week, suggested Unsworth turned down the role as she ‘didn’t need the hassle of managing the 8,000-strong news division’.

Whether their source was wrong, or Unsworth changed her mind, she is now thrilled with her new appointment: ‘I am delighted to lead BBC News and Current Affairs. We are living through a period of significant change at home and abroad. In a complex world, the BBC’s journalism matters more than ever.

‘I am proud to lead a team of such dedicated and talented people.’

All new media appointments and changes are kept up-to-date in the Vuelio Media Database.

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 15 December 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including Theresa May at the European Council summit, Government to drop the Brexit date amendment, the threat of Russian cyber attacks and the Scottish government increasing income tax. 

May lobbies for swift transition agreement at European Council summit
As the Guardian reports, Theresa May lobbied for a swift agreement on a transition period at the European Council summit last night. Leaders are due to agree today that sufficient progress has been made in the first part of the talks, while Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister said that talks about the new trading relationship would have to wait for another three months.

Government to drop Brexit date amendment
The Times claims that the Government is to drop its amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill setting the date of the UK’s departure from the European Union, as it aims to avoid a second defeat in the House of Commons. Dominic Grieve, who has received death threats for his role in this week’s backbench Tory rebellion, has said that he believes more MPs are prepared to oppose this amendment. The paper also says that May is planning to create more Conservative peers ‘within weeks’, improving the Government’s position in the Lords.

Russian attack could disrupt the UK’s internet access
The Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach has said that Russia’s navy has the ability to disrupt the UK’s internet access, The Daily Telegraph says. He has called for naval forces to be strengthened to combat the threat. Peach’s intervention comes amid an effort by the Ministry of Defence to secure more funding from the Treasury.

Scottish government increases income tax
The Guardian reports on the decision by Derek Mackay, Scottish finance secretary, to make use of the Scottish Government’s recently-strengthened tax powers. He will increase the higher and top rates of tax, whilst introducing a new starter rate for low earners, freezing the basic rate, and introducing a new intermediate rate. This will fund pay increases for public sector workers, and £400m extra for the NHS.

Northern transport needs £60bn over 30 years
Transport for the North has announced that it will unveil its 30-year plan in January, according to the Financial Times. The body’s chair has said that for its plans to succeed, Government transport spending in the region would have to increase by a third, whilst fixing the transport system will cost at least £60bn over 30 years.

Government targets for gender and ethnic diversity in quangos
A report in the Guardian says that the Government is to set targets for the proportion of women and people from ethnic minority groups across all public appointments. Within five years, half should be women, and 14% from ethnic minorities. The paper also reports that the only female Downing Street communications director since 2010 was paid £15,000 less than the three men who held the position in that time.

442 civil servants paid more than the Prime Minister
The Sun reports that 442 civil servants are paid more than the Prime Minister. The Network Rail chief Mark Carne topped the list, earning £750,000. 50 of those on the list work for HS2, which The Times says is to be accused of covering-up unauthorised redundancy payments, in a Commons Public Accounts Committee report today.

‘Youthquake’ is the word of the year
The Daily Telegraph reports that Oxford Dictionaries has picked ‘youthquake’ as the word of the year, in reference to Jeremy Corbyn’s youthful supporters in the general election. The word apparently saw a 400% increase in usage between 2016 and 2017.

 

Vuelio political services are available to help you.

agency competition

Creative Shootout 2018 finalists revealed

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The finalists for the Creative Shootout Live Final have been announced. Nine agencies were selected by the 17-strong judging panel, which included leading names from YouTube, Hello! and Weber Shandwick.

The finalists, who will compete at BAFTA on 25 January 2018, are:

  • Bottle
  • Clarion Comms
  • Frank
  • Ignis
  • Mischief
  • Pretty green
  • Shape History
  • Talker Tailor Trouble Maker
  • Text 100

The Creative Shootout is an annual competition that presents a charity brief to the finalists, who then have four hours create a ten-minute pitch. The ‘Live’ Final is just that, with the audience voting on each pitch to decide the top three, including a winner whose pitch will be supported by £250,000 media prize fund from 1XL, and £30,000 worth of agency fees from this year’s Charity FareShare.

FareShare is the UK’s largest food re-distribution charity that is responsible for feeding half a million people a week, by redistributing good, surplus food to over 6,700 frontline charities and community groups.

Entry to the Creative Shootout was open to any marketing agency in the UK. Entrants each had to submit ‘60 seconds’ on why they had the creative clout for FareShare. These were whittled down to nine finalists by the judging panel which this year consisted of:

  • Abba Newbery, Creator Development, YouTube
  • Alyson Walsh, Marketing Director, FareShare
  • Andrew Bloch, Founder & Group MD, Frank
  • Colin Byrne, CEO UK & EMEA, Weber Shandwick
  • David Gallagher, President, Growth & Development, Omnicom
  • Emma De La Fosse, CCO, O&M
  • Henry Faure Walker, CEO, Newsquest
  • James Booth, Founder & CEO, Scoota
  • Jason Gardiner, TV Personality, Founder & Creative Director, The Rabbit Hole Group
  • Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE, Chairman, ROAR Group (UK)
  • Johnny Pitt, Founder, The Creative Shootout
  • Luke D’Arcy, President, Momentum
  • Paul Bainsfair, Director General, IPA
  • Rosie Nixon, Editor-in-Chief, Hello!
  • Simon Gill, Chief Creative Officer, Isobar
  • Simon Peck, Group Managing Director, Engine UK
  • Sophie Daranyi, Chairman, Haygarth

Creative Shootout Founder Johnny Pitt said: ‘We’ve a cracking nine agencies in the Final this year. Choosing nine from the long list was tough, and the final decision was very, very close – namely because there were so many strong entries from a really diverse range of agencies.’

For more information about this year’s event, and to buy tickets, visit creativeshootout.com.

multi screen search

Most Googled terms of the year 2017

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Google has released the most Googled terms of the year and Meghan Markle has topped the list in the UK.

Google’s annual analysis sums up the year in news. The full top 10 is:

  1. Meghan Markle
  2. iPhone 8
  3. Hurricane Irma
  4. Fidget spinner
  5. Manchester bombing
  6. Grenfell Tower
  7. 13 Reasons Why
  8. Tara Palmer Tomkinson
  9. Shannon Matthews
  10. (suitably ranked) iPhone X

The search engine has also revealed common questions asked in 2017, including ‘How to buy Bitcoin’ and ‘What is a hung parliament’.

The information is a treasure trove for PR pros who are either checking for their successes (FYI Wimbledon was the most searched sporting event, and Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You was the most searched song), or seeing what’s trended to help predict what’s next.

Access to boxing matches is clearly high on people’s priorities as two fights – ‘How to watch Mayweather vs McGregor?’ and ‘How to watch Joshua vs Klitschko?’ – made the top 5 most searched ‘How To…?’ questions.

Globally, the information is broader but still includes news events and people – but surprisingly Donald Trump manages neither list.

And for a UK audience, what’s perhaps most surprising in light of Brexit is our place in the world (of Google); the UK election was the third most searched election, after the French and German elections respectively.

If you want to tweet something from this article, I’d recommend 2017’s most searched meme, which for 2017 was ‘Cash Me Ousside / Howbow Dah’*.

*me neither – even after our head of political content explained it.

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 14 December 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including the Government’s Brexit vote defeat, a push for trade talks, David Cameron’s concerns about Trump and underachieving schools. 

Government defeated: Parliament will get a vote on the final Brexit deal
The Government was defeated last night when 11 Conservatives joined opposition MPs to vote for an amendment guaranteeing Parliament a vote on the final deal. As The Daily Telegraph reports, one of the rebels, Stephen Hammond, was immediately sacked as vice-chairman of the Conservative Party. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described the result as ‘humiliating’ for Theresa May. The paper suggests that the defeat will ‘sour’ May’s visit to Brussels today.

UK in last ditch appeal for trade talks with the EU before March
The Guardian says that the UK is making last-minute efforts to persuade the EU to state willingness to hold trade talks before March. A draft statement suggests that talks can only happen once the EU has published its own plan for the future. However, the Financial Times claims that May is stalling for time over European pressure to spell out the UK’s preferred future relationship because there is no cabinet consensus.

David Cameron: Trump’s ‘fake news’ attacks are dangerous
David Cameron has described Donald Trump’s attacks on the media as ‘dangerous’, according to the Guardian. The former prime minister addressed a Transparency International conference in his first British public lecture since leaving office and warned of ‘Russian bots and trolls targeting your democracy’.

130 schools are persistently underachieving
The Financial Times highlights remarks made by Amanda Spielman, the head of Ofsted, at the launch of the regulator’s annual report. She warned that there are 130 schools in England which have not been rated ‘good’ in over a decade. However, there has been ‘continued steady improvement in average school performance.’

Greening launches national strategy to close the attainment gap
The Guardian reports that education secretary Justine Greening will today launch a national strategy aiming to close the attainment gap between rich and poor children. Measures to be introduced include £50m for new nursery places, £23m for a future talent fund, and closer co-operation with businesses on apprenticeships and technical qualifications.

Peers reject attack on press freedom
The Times says that MPs rejected an amendment to the Data Protection Bill, which would have tightened an exemption for journalists who handle personal data to expose wrongdoing in the public interest. Baroness Hollins, who had promoted the amendment, agreed to withdraw it after a series of peers warned that it would cripple investigative journalism.

UKIP faces data tribunal over EU referendum campaign
According to the Guardian, UKIP is to face a tribunal over its use of analytics during the EU referendum, after it refused to co-operate with an investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office. It also emerged that the office and British Columbia’s office of the privacy and information commissioner are both investigating the Canadian firm AggregateIQ, which received millions of pounds from the leave campaign.

Businesses fear economic effect of a Corbyn government
An article in The Times claims that businesses are worried about the impact of a Corbyn government. A director of two financial services companies told the paper that the UK would ‘be bust’ after three years of a Corbyn government, whilst Credit Suisse warned that public finances would ‘deteriorate sharply’.

 

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UK Government

PMQs: Theresa May’s word cloud – 13 December 2017

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At Prime Minister’s Questions Theresa May faced questions from MPs on the Brexit agreement being voted on in Parliament, homelessness, banks and domestic violence. We present the word cloud for Theresa May’s answers at PMQs on 13 December 2017.

word cloud

 

 

Brexit
Conservative MP Cheryl Gillan kicked things off by asking whether the Prime Minister would confirm that MPs would be able to vote on the final Brexit agreement. This has been the topic of much debate recently; Tory rebels are threatening to vote against the Government if it does not accept Dominic Grieve’s amendment to the Bill, which would make a vote legally binding. According to May, final withdrawal agreements will be put to a vote in both houses in Parliament, before March 2019, but with no mention of legalities.

Unity
Conservative MP Anna Soubry, began by calling herself and the Prime Minister proudly ‘difficult woman’, but asked, in the spirit of unity, for her to rethink her decision to reject Dominic Grieve’s aforementioned amendment. In a move that will not please rebels in her party, May stood firm on the matter, but said that there could be room for change before the amendment is voted on later today.

Homelessness
Corbyn and May began the session by coming to blows on homelessness. Corbyn pressed the Prime Minister on statistics that show 1 in 100 children in the UK are homeless, calling the situation a ‘national disgrace’. He also called for a firmer stance from the Government on short-term letting contracts to ensure families aren’t kicked out at short notice.

Banks
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford questioned the Prime Minister on RBS branch closures in the years since the bank was bailed out. According to Blackford, 259 branches have closed across the UK in the last year, and he asked May to step in and ensure the same does not happen with the remaining branches. Caroline Flint raised a similar point, calling on the Prime Minister to admit the Access to Banking protocol from the Government has failed.

Domestic violence
Labour MP Alex Norris quoted Woman’s Aid when questioning May on domestic violence. The charity has said that Government proposals for supported housing threaten the network of refuges which are in place to support domestic violence victims. May countered this by claiming that funding was and still is ring fenced, along with a variety of new laws designed to protect victims.

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 13 December 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including David Davis’ effort to save relations with Brussels, May’s attempt to see off Brexit rebellion and Anne-Marie Morris’ reinstatement. 

David Davis in effort to save relations with Brussels
The Guardian reports that Brexit Secretary David Davis is attempting to salvage the UK’s relationship with the EU, after his claim over the weekend that last week’s agreement had no legal status. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that he ‘would not accept any backtracking’ and rejected Davis’s claim that a trade treaty could be signed the day after the UK leaves the EU. Meanwhile, The Times breaks the news that European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker has been embroiled in a criminal investigation over ‘tampered’ evidence about wiretapping.

May aims to see off Brexit rebellion by promising clarity
The Daily Telegraph says that the Government is planning to offer ‘greater clarity’, in a bid to see off a revolt by Tory backbenchers. Dominic Grieve said that there was a ‘real possibility’ that the Government could be defeated with an amendment requiring the final deal with the EU to be approved by a separate act of Parliament. Fellow backbencher Heidi Allen has written in the paper supporting the amendment.

Anne-Marie Morris reinstated, whilst Damian Green may be cleared
Anne-Marie Morris, who had the Conservative whip suspended after a recording of her using a racist remark was release, has been reinstated, reports The Times. Morris apologised and said that she had ‘learnt from this experience’, but Labour’s Jon Trickett described the decision as a ‘disgrace’. According to The Guardian, friends of Kate Maltby, who accused Damián Green of inappropriate behaviour, fear that he may be cleared of wrongdoing because the alleged behaviour took place before he was a cabinet minister.

Investigative journalism under threat
The Daily Telegraph warns that proposed amendments to the Data Protection Act in the House of Lords could restrict press freedom. The amendments would limit journalists’ public interest exemption and effectively require newspapers to join an officially recognised press regulator. The Government opposes the amendments, but Labour plans to support some of them, meaning that they might pass.

Ruth Davidson refuses to rule out standing for Westminster
Scottish Conservative Leader, Ruth Davidson, has refused to rule out standing for selection as an MP, The Sun reports. However, she said that she would only consider it if she failed to be elected as First Minister of Scotland in 2021.

May to use foreign aid cash to reduce plastic waste
The Daily Mail reports that Theresa May pledged to use cash from the UK’s foreign aid budget to tackle plastic pollution at a climate change summit in Paris. The paper claims that the environment has been put at the heart of attempts to rebrand the Conservatives as ‘the caring party’.

Public inquiries are a waste of time and money
A new report by the Institute for Government will claim that public inquiries are a waste of time and money, The Times says. £639m has been spent on 68 inquiries since 1990, but many recommendations have not been implemented.

Tory MP’s aide on trial for rape
The BBC reports on the trial for rape of Samuel Armstrong, who was chief of staff for Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay. He is accused of raping a woman who also worked in Parliament in the MP’s office after an evening of drinking last October.

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16 February 2018

Are you ready for London Fashion Week?

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The next London Fashion Week takes place on 16-20 February 2018, which means the planning starts now. We spoke to Victoria Magrath, author of the Vuelio Blog Awards’ Best Fashion Blog 2017 Inthefrow.com, about preparation and planning for spring/summer LFW 2018.

inthefrowVictoria, who is one of the faces of Ted Baker this season, is already planning potential projects with a number of her favourite brands for LFW. It may seem early to start planning, but with the Christmas period just weeks away and New York Fashion Week starting on 8 February, there isn’t much time left.

London and Paris are both special to Victoria who feels like London sadly isn’t appreciated enough on a global stage: ‘So many international bloggers don’t come over to London, which is such a shame; there are loads of great designers here!’

For Paris Fashion Week, Victoria is looking forward to spending time with her L’Oreal Beauty squad again and believes that the earlier teams start planning fashion week projects, the better.  ‘It would be great to get super organised a few months ahead of time, as fashion week is so busy and fast paced but many fashion and beauty teams plans a lot nearer to the date which I understand.’

Collaborations are one of Victoria’s favourite aspects of her blogging career, and she is excited to work with her favourite brands on long-term campaigns in 2018. ‘The effects of real, genuine partnerships are much more rewarding.’

Victoria admits though that she is ‘never satisfied’ and always sets new goals to achieve. Even after being the top ranked fashion blog, winning at the Vuelio Blog Awards and being a face of Ted Baker for Christmas 2017 – Victoria is excited for what 2018 will hold.

Victoria and Inthefrow are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers and media contacts.

Relax Ya Self to Health

Blogger Spotlight: Helen Gilbert, Relax Ya Self to Health

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Written by freelance health journalist, Helen Gilbert, Relax Ya Self To Health was launched in May and recently appeared in the Top 10 UK Mental Health Blogs. It was inspired after Helen’s health took an unexpected turn for the worse, which left doctors baffled. The blog is charting Helen’s journey to get to the bottom of her health issues as well as her quest to relax and calm her mind and body. We spoke to Helen about inspiring health stories from celebrities, her advice for new bloggers and the hidden side of influence.

Why did you decide to start blogging? 
To try and find an answer to my baffling health problems. I have always been fit and healthy but in December 2015 my health took an unexpected turn for the worse when I ended up in A&E with suspected anaphylaxsis. I’d never suffered with allergies before and assumed the episode was a one off. But then the reactions started happening every day. Each one would affect my airway. Either my tongue would swell enormously or my throat would close up. Doctors didn’t know why. To top it all off, I developed severe foot drop. It was a frightening time and both mentally and physically tough.

Helen GilbertHow did you find your niche?
This summer I decided to launch my blog, with the goal of helping myself and others who are also experiencing difficult times. I wrote a first-person article for the Daily Mail on histamine intolerance, something I discovered I had through lots of research, and my blog was mentioned in the piece. So many people contacted me afterwards and thanked me for writing the article and ‘giving them hope’.

As I wanted to make the blog fun, I set myself a challenge of learning how to relax. I’ve been a freelance health journalist for 18 years; I’m always rushing around and find it hard to switch off and unwind. Alongside, ‘How to’ articles, expert tips, reviews of wellbeing destinations, the blog also features interviews with well-known celebrities who share their inspiring health stories and talk about how they’ve overcome adversity. The aim is for the blog to be informative and helpful as well as entertaining.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start a blog?
Just do it. Write out your goals, and get your ideas down. It’s easy to procrastinate and feel overwhelmed but once you start putting pen to paper, it’ll flow. I came up with the name for my blog last Christmas while sitting around the dinner table. I’m a huge fan of Barbados and my friends out there always used to say to me ‘Relax Ya Self’. It made perfect sense.

Your blog features celebrity interviews, who has been your favourite interviewee and why?
You cannot ask me that! I couldn’t possibly single one out. Each one has been kind enough to share their story with me and for that I’m very grateful. Their stories are so interesting and will hopefully help and inspire other people going through difficult times. So far, I’ve featured Jonny Wilkinson, Katie Piper, Gail Porter and James Duigan. I’m always on the lookout for celebrities with strong health stories.

What would be your dream company to work with?
That’s a tough one but Virgin Atlantic would be up there. I’m in awe of Richard Branson and everything he’s achieved.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in health, mental health, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

What kinds of campaigns and projects do you prefer to work on?
I’m looking to work on health and travel projects, and campaigns that really make a difference. Stress and anxiety affects so many of us; it’s an old cliché but your health really is your wealth. I’d always looked after mine with healthy eating and exercise but I’d been super stressed for a long time when everything fell apart in 2015, plus I never relaxed or stopped. I rarely gave my body a chance to repair or heal and never paid attention to the thoughts racing around my mind. I’m interested in featuring holistic health, digital detox, stress busting and mental health campaigns, wellbeing destinations and wellness breaks (both in the UK and abroad), first person reviews, celebrity interviews, and selected competitions.

Do you have a favourite place that you go to relax and regroup?
Yes, Barbados! It’s the inspiration for my blog. It’s the one place I can go and switch off entirely. My friends joke that I even move at the pace of a snail when I’m over there instead of my usual 100 miles per hour!

How do you think that PRs can improve their blogger outreach or influencer marketing? Have you noticed any major differences in this compared to how PRs reach out to freelance journalists?
As a freelance journalist I get between 300 and 500 emails a day but in terms of the blog I only hear from a handful of PRs a week so it’s entirely different! Maybe it’s because it’s so new. I think there’s definitely been a shift towards micro-influencers. If you identify a blogger who’d be a perfect fit for your brand, I wouldn’t necessarily be deterred by a lower DA or because they do not have a certain number of followers. Look at the comments on their blog posts or social media to identify how people are engaging with them.

I ran a competition recently which attracted almost 150 comments on one post – readers were opening up their hearts about the stressful times they were experiencing. Also, not everything is visible. I had numerous private messages after posting about my histamine intolerance – one man even sent me pictures of his wife experiencing an allergic reaction. Another thing to consider is whether the blogger is respected in their field: are they reliable, professional, accurate, and authentic? Don’t always be swayed by huge stats.

What will be big in your blogosphere in the coming months?
That’s an interesting one but I think the brilliant media-wide focus around raising mental health awareness will continue apace. I’ve got a feeling we’ll also see more journalists setting up blogs in light of the changing media landscape. Maybe they’ll be called ‘j-oggers’!

Aside from health, wellness and travel, what other topics take your interest?
I’m a huge tennis fan and worked at Wimbledon for almost 20 years in various roles. As a student, I worked as a court attendant, covering the grass courts when it rained before working for www.wimbledon.com as a journalist, covering matches and interviewing players. It’s a fabulous event. I’ve missed playing regularly – exercise and heat seem to trigger reactions but I returned to the court on Saturday for the first time in ages. It was freezing cold and my tongue didn’t swell. Yay!

Helen Gilbert and Relax Ya Self to Health are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 12 December 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including disagreements in both parties on Brexit, new reforms announced by Michael Gove and Labour MP Clive Lewis cleared of sexual harassment allegations. 

Social media firms should be prosecuted over abuse, May told
The Times reports that the Committee on Standards in Public Life is to advise the Prime Minister that social media companies should face fines or prosecution if they fail to remove racist, extremist or child sex abuse content. The committee is to recommend laws to shift liability for illegal content to social media firms, making them publishers, not platforms.

Corbyn refuses to agree more detailed Brexit plans
The Guardian says that Jeremy Corbyn is resisting pressure to add more detail to Labour’s Brexit plans, as the shadow cabinet meets today. Whilst some members have signalled a shift towards a closer future relationship with the EU, Corbyn’s team reportedly believe that a more specific position could alienate key groups of voters.

Brexit: May unites party for now
The Financial Times claims that May managed to unite her party yesterday in support of her deal with the EU, aided by the Government making a concession on the ‘Henry VIII powers’ which would have reduced the amount of parliamentary scrutiny of the implementation of Brexit. However, the paper says that this unity could be short-lived, and warns of splits over the details of a future UK/EU trade deal.

Gove: new rules on animal sentience & spend aid cash on plastic pollution
Michael Gove is the focus of two stories in today’s Times. He is pressing for more of the UK’s overseas aid budget to be spend on reducing plastic pollution of the oceans, after a new report found that 90% of the waste came from ten Asian and African rivers. Separately, new animal cruelty legislation to be unveiled today by Gove will ‘bind the government to consider “the welfare needs of animals as sentient beings”’.

Hammond sides with EU to demand Trump drops tax reforms
Philip Hammond has sided with four other European finance ministers to warn Donald Trump that his proposed tax reforms could prompt a trade war, The Daily Telegraph reports. The ministers have joined together to warn that the proposed changes might contravene World Trade Organisation rules, whilst the paper reports that the Government is increasingly worried by signs of protectionism in the US.

NHS ‘bloody stupid’ to expect £4bn cash injection, says former NHS Improvement chief
Jim Mackey, the former head of NHS Improvement, has said that NHS bosses were ‘bloody stupid’ to expect a £4bn cash injection in the budget, The Guardian says. He warned that statements made by NHS bosses will have alienated ministers, and that the amount given by the Government was ‘not enough’.

Tom Watson: ‘embrace an android’
Labour’s Deputy Leader, Tom Watson, is to mark the final report of the Future of Work Commission today by giving a speech in which he will call on people to ‘embrace an android’, according to The Mirror. The report will conclude that ‘mass technological employment is highly unlikely.’

Clive Lewis cleared by Labour investigation
The Guardian reports that Labour MP Clive Lewis has been cleared of allegations of sexual harassment, following a party investigation. He had been accused of grabbing a female party member’s bottom at the party’s conference, but an internal investigation has dismissed the claim. Lewis said that he was ‘pleased’ to have been cleared.

 

 

 

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Politics on Sunday – 11 December 2017

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Missed any of the political coverage from the weekend?

It’s been another busy week in politics, with the first phase of the Brexit deal squared off after last minute negotiations. Brexit secretary David Davis and his counterpart Kier Starmer both appeared on the Andrew Marr show, with Davis saying that he would be seeking an ‘overarching trade deal’ that he described as a ‘Canada plus plus plus’ model.

In the wake of Donald Trump’s intervention in Jerusalem, the Israeli ambassador to the UK, Mark Regev, appeared on Paterson, arguing that it was a ‘just decision’ that would bring peace to the region.

Meanwhile Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti told Paterson she was ‘disappointed’ with Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, who said in an interview with the Daily Mail that anyone who fought with the so-called Islamic State should be killed.

Check out our dedicated Canvas of political coverage by clicking here or on the image below. Want to make your own canvas? Learn more. 

 

political programmes Sunday 11 December

online newsroom

7 things your media centre needs

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Every brand or business should have a press-friendly digital presence and an Online Media Centre is the easiest way to fulfil this need. Knowing what you should and shouldn’t include can often be a challenge, so Vuelio has spoken to journalists and newsroom experts to determine exactly what your media centre needs.

The latest Vuelio white paper ‘Online Media Centres: Managing Your Digital Presence’, is your one-stop-shop for all your media centre needs, and covers topics such as: What’s a media centre’s purpose out of hours? And when should you require journalists to sign up? How do bloggers use media centres?

The white paper also includes the anatomy of a media centre – the seven things all media centres should include. here are the first four, can you guess the rest?

1. Contacts page
Possibly the most important element is a list of all the key contacts the press could need for any eventuality.

2. Press releases
This may seem obvious, but keep a regularly-updated library of press releases in date order.

3. Pictures and video
Your media centre should host large downloadable files so journalists can easily access this email-unfriendly material.

4. Company information
Have background information about your company and business so it gives media contacts a bigger picture and more editorial content to flesh out their story.

 

For the full anatomy, and an exploration of the perfect media centre, download the white paper today.

Do you have an excellent media centre? Share it in the comments below.

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 11 December 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including the Ireland’s Brexit warning, Labour’s Brexit stance, chemical and pharma companies desiring EU rules and ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. 

Ireland in Brexit deal warning
The Times warns that Theresa May’s Brexit deal is in danger of ‘unravelling’, after Ireland and the EU questioned the Government’s commitment to it. This followed the appearance of David Davis on television yesterday, describing the deal as a non-legally enforceable ‘statement of intent’ and insisting that the divorce bill would only be paid if a trade deal was secured. The paper reported that a Government source ‘appeared to contradict’ these claims.

Labour in favour of a ‘Norway style agreement’ with EU
The Guardian reports that Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has set out his party’s vision for Brexit. Appearing on The Andrew Marr Show, Starmer said that Labour was prepared to consider ongoing payments to the EU, accept the ‘easy movement’ of workers, wanted continued alignment of regulations and standards, and was seeking a ‘Norway style agreement for the 21st century.’

Chemical and pharmaceutical industries want to retain EU rules
According to the Financial Times, the chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries have written to Michael Gove urging the Government to let them remain within EU rules. A Government spokesperson said that it was working ‘to ensure a smooth transition for the chemical industry’.

‘Light at the end of the tunnel’ for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British mother being held prisoner in Iran, has expressed hope after a trial scheduled for Sunday was postponed, after Boris Johnson met the country’s President, as The Daily Telegraph reports.

Labour considers moving Bank of England to Birmingham
Consultants commissioned by John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, have recommended moving some functions of the Bank of England to Birmingham, the Financial Times says. The report says that co-locating these functions with Labour’s planned National Investment Bank and Strategic Investment Board would ‘create a new ‘economic policy’ hub.’

Calls for Government to ban pension cold-calls
The Work and Pensions Select Committee is to call on the Government to fast-forward legislation to halt the use of cold-calling by scammers targeting people’s pension pots, The Guardian reports. The committee is to publish its report on pensions freedoms today. The paper reports that almost £5m has been lost to fraudsters in the first five months of 2017, but a ban is unlikely to come into effect before 2020.

Ministers back straight civil partnerships
The Times says that the Government is to back a proposed change in the law to allow straight couples to enter civil partnerships. The paper reports that a private members’ bill by Tim Loughton has gained support from ministers, and that ‘it’s just a question of getting wording sorted out’.

AA calls for parking fines cap
In an exclusive, The Sun says that the AA is demanding a cap on the level of parking fines a council can issue each month, as well as more lenient treatment for first-time offenders. The organisation is launching a campaign ‘asking for Government intervention to restore fairness.’

 

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