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Public Affairs Board announces first Executive Committee since PRCA merger

June 18, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The Public Affairs Board has announced its Executive Committee for 2019/20 to help fulfill its role of ensuring transparency, enforcing high standards, and promoting a wider understanding of public affairs and the contribution it makes to public life.

This is the first Committee since APPC members voted to merge the organisation with the PRCA in November 2018. This led to the creation of the Public Affairs Board as a unified body for the public affairs market.

The 19-person panel is led by continuing co-chairs George McGregor, managing partner at Interel and Emma Petela, director at GK Strategy [both pictured]. The Committee also includes representatives from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland alongside a representative from the NextGen Public Affairs Group, the immediate past leadership, and members from across the PRCA Public Affairs Board.

The full Executive Committee for 2019/20 is:

George McGregor CMPRCA, Interel (Co-chair)
Emma Petela CMPRCA, GK Strategy (Co-chair)
John Morrison MPRCA, Morrison Media (Scotland)
Cathy Owens MPRCA, Deryn (Wales)
Gráinne Walsh MPRCA, Stratagem NI (Northern Ireland)
Tiffany Burrows MPRCA, Newington (NextGen Public Affairs)
Paul Bristow FPRCA, PB Consulting (Past Chair)
Lionel Zetter FPRCA, Zetter’s Political Services (Past Chair)
Laura Blake MPRCA, Connect
Flora Coleman MPRCA, Transferwise
Gavin Devine MPRCA, Park Street Partners
Elin de Zoete MPRCA, PLMR
Scott Dodsworth MPRCA, H+K Strategies
Tom Frackowiak MPRCA, Cicero Group
Mark Glover FPRCA, Newington Communications
Liam Herbert MPRCA, Individual Member
Chris Martin MPRCA, Ketchum
Gill Morris FPRCA, DevoConnect
Michael Stott MPRCA, Lansons

McGregor and Petela said: ‘We are lucky enough to have a pool of talented, experienced individuals willing to contribute their time, effort, and ideas to improving our industry. We would like to welcome members of the Executive Committee – old and new – and look forward to working with them all on ethics, transparency, representation, and shaping the very future of our industry.

‘To reiterate our priorities as co-chairs, our aims are to build a more powerful voice for public affairs; to champion and uphold ethical public affairs; and to promote diversity in the public affairs industry.

‘We would like to thank all the members involved: representing PRCA Public Affairs Board members is a privilege and we aim to meet – and exceed – their expectations of us.’

All members take up their positions immediately and remain in place until the time of the next scheduled Public Affairs Board Executive Committee election in June 2020. The co-chairs were re-elected unopposed. The first meeting of the new Executive Committee was last night (Monday, 17 June 2019).

Political Headlines – Rory the spy, Gove’s Brexit beliefs and homeless camps removed

June 18, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Database, Political Services Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s political headlines includes suggestions Rory Stewart could have been a spy, Gove’s claims that the final two candidates must believe in Brexit, homeless camps removed and half of Tories would be happy with Farage as leader.

Stewart may have been MI6 spy
The Daily Telegraph suggests that Rory Stewart may have worked for MI6 as a spy prior to his election, with a ‘Whitehall security source’ telling it that he was recruited while at university and worked for the service for seven years. He has denied being a spy but has also pointed out that even if he had been, he would be legally obliged to deny it. He has now secured the backing of David Lidington, the de-facto deputy prime minister, in the leadership contest, and is the second favourite with the bookmakers.

Gove claims that the final two candidates must ‘believe in Brexit’
Writing in The Times, Michael Gove calls on MPs to ensure the two leadership candidates they put to the party membership ‘believe in Brexit’, arguing against choosing a pair of candidates who will ‘polarise our party’. The paper claims that this is an attempt by Gove to undermine Rory Stewart’s campaign and secure his own place in the final round. Sajid Javid has also claimed that ‘blue on blue’ attacks are damaging the party’s prospects.

Number of homeless camps removed trebles
In an exclusive, The Guardian claims that the number of homeless camps which local authorities forcibly removed has more than trebled since 2014, rising from 72 to 254. Charities say that this is a sign of a growing homelessness problem due to changes to welfare, poorly-funded support services and insecure housing. Over the same period, complaints about such camps have grown by 448%.

Almost half of Tory membership would be happy with Farage as leader, poll finds
A YouGov poll of Conservative members for The Times finds that 46% of them would be happy for Nigel Farage to become party leader, while 40% would be unhappy. 68% of members want to attract voters from UKIP and the Brexit Party, compared to just 25% from Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Farage has admitted that he has been approached by Tory donors but rejected the idea of a pact between the two parties.

Parliamentary standards authority doesn’t recognise maternity leave, Creasy says
Writing in The Guardian, Labour MP Stella Creasy claims Parliament is effectively telling her to ‘choose between being a mum and being an MP’. She is pregnant but has been told by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority that it does not recognise maternity leave and won’t automatically provide extra support. She was also forced to work as normal without further support after suffering two miscarriages.

Mothers should live with children in prison
The Daily Telegraph carries details of a new report commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and conducted by Lord Farmer, which argues that women in prison should be kept with their children in mini-prisons in the community in an attempt to break the reoffending cycle. Such a scheme would target those jailed for less than two years for offences such as theft, fraud or minor assaults.

Government rejects ‘fast fashion tax’
The Daily Mail says that the Government is being criticised after it rejected the Commons Environmental Audit Committee’s suggestion of a ‘fast fashion tax’ of 1p per item in order to cover the costs of collecting and recycling the 300,000 tonnes of clothes incinerated or sent to landfill each year. Instead, ministers claim to have developed their own initiatives, including encouraging voluntary efforts by the industry.

Hammond criticises Johnson over unfunded spending commitments
According to The Sun, Chancellor Philip Hammond has criticised Boris Johnson for making unfunded spending commitments on tax cuts and faster broadband, with just Rory Stewart acceding to his request that leadership candidates stick to sensible spending plans. Speaking at Mansion House in the City of London, Hammond urged ‘all candidates to be cautious’ and said the lack of agreements was ‘a disappointment’.

Does Rory’s rise matter to you? Find out with Vuelio Political Services.

What’s your podcast strategy?

June 17, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Podcast, PR Club Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Podcasts have finally become mainstream media, with big tech companies creating infrastructure to support millions of global users. With listener numbers rapidly increasing, podcasts are now a viable channel for PRs to reach new and existing audiences.

Since The Ricky Gervais Show in 2005, every year has been the year of the podcast. They’ve always been the ‘Next Big Thing’ and if you weren’t into podcasts you were probably behind the times (or even worse, too old!). While anecdotally this may have seemed true, it’s only now – in 2019 – that technology is supporting large-scale growth and podcasts are going mainstream.

Whether it’s Spotify making a number of podcast acquisitions and changing its UI to separate music and podcasts; Apple killing iTunes and replacing it with Music, TV and Podcasts; or the BBC launching BBC sounds – podcasts are big business.

How do podcasts fit into your comms strategy?
In many ways, podcast content is still finding its feet. While there are distinct categories – such as fiction stories, comedy, true crime and health – the types of content PRs are used to working with is now playing catch up.

But it’s playing catch up in a big way – the BBC has its own platform and the Guardian and Economist have been creating popular podcasts for years. They’re now joined by many other national titles who cover everything from the arts to business and politics. Presenters and guests are typically traditional journalists and columnists, which means PRs don’t even need to create relationships with new people to reach a podcast’s audience.

Remember it’s a podcast
It may seem obvious but there are a couple of key things to remember that make podcasts different to print or digital content. First, this is a channel for intelligence and thought leadership, which means – at the moment – it’s probably not the right place for campaign promotions. Podcasts are often discussions, so find ways to add value with informed speakers or valuable information. Check out the Journalist Enquiry Service for the typical requests journalists send out for podcast contributions.

The second, and perhaps most obvious point, is this channel is audio only, which means no visual contributions. If you have radio PR experience, then you’ll already be ahead of the competition.

Outside of media relations, PRs can also get involved through advertising – whether that’s via the presenters themselves (in which case it’s very similar to the influencer marketing model) or on the platforms.

The Drum reports that Spotify now allows advertisers to target free users based on podcast preferences, the first time it has segmented its audience by podcasts rather than music. This will allow you to target relevant audiences from business and tech to lifestyle and health. It’s being rolled out across 10 territories with Samsung and 3M already testing the tool.

This is just the beginning for what’s finally deserved the title of the Next Big Thing. As podcasts grow even more popular throughout 2019, expect more sophisticated targeting and advertising, as well as new content types, formats and PR opportunities to emerge.

Did you know Vuelio lists podcasts alongside newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs, vlogs and broadcasters? Find out how the Vuelio Media Database can help you get ahead.

Political Headlines – Tory leadership debate and Watson to challenge Labour to back remaining in the EU

June 17, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Rebecca Potts

Today’s political headlines includes criticism of Johnson for missing debate, Watson to challenge Labour to back remaining in the EU, May to announce mental health package and Johnson makes broadband pledge.

Johnson criticised for missing debate
The Times reports that Boris Johnson was taunted by rival leadership contenders during yesterday’s Channel Four debate for refusing to participate, with Jeremy Hunt asking how Johnson would be able ‘to deal with 27 European countries’ when ‘his team won’t allow him out with five fairly friendly colleagues’. The paper adds that the other candidates criticised Dominic Raab for refusing to rule out suspending Parliament to enable a no-deal Brexit, with Rory Stewart branding the suggestion ‘undemocratic’ and ‘deeply disturbing’.

Watson to challenge Labour to back remaining in the EU
According to The Guardian, Labour’s Deputy Leader Tom Watson will use a speech today to challenge Jeremy Corbyn, claiming Labour ‘must argue strongly to remain in Europe’, adding that he supports ‘Europe because I am a socialist’. A Shadow Cabinet meeting has been cancelled at short notice, supposedly because some members couldn’t attend, but the paper says that some remainers believe that the leadership wished to avoid a confrontation.

May to announce mental health package
The Sun is claiming a ‘huge victory’ for its ‘You’re Not Alone’ campaign as Theresa May is set to announce today that all teachers will be trained to spot mental health issues, with updated statutory guidelines on schools’ responsibilities, more support for schools to tackle self-harm and greater funding for councils.

Johnson makes superfast broadband pledge
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson promises to give every home in the UK access to superfast broadband within six years if he becomes Prime Minister, eight years quicker than the Government’s current plans, which he says are ‘laughably unambitious’. He argues that ending the ‘deep digital divide’ is part of his ‘moral mission to unite Brexit Britain’.

Hancock backs Johnson
The Times reports that Matt Hancock has endorsed Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign, calling him ‘the best candidate to unite the Conservative Party’ and vowing to ‘hold him’ to his promises to be a One Nation Conservative and to support business. A cabinet minister from a rival campaign said it was ‘less of an endorsement and more of a surrender’.

Campaigners worried cannabis is being unofficially legalised
An investigation by the Daily Mail has found that nine out of ten users and growers of cannabis do not receive criminal charges, with the proportion of users charged for possession falling from 27% in 2017 to 22% last year. David Green of the thinktank Civitas sad that the police had ‘unofficially legalised cannabis in many parts of the country’ despite doctors being ‘increasingly worried about the impact on the mental health of cannabis users’.

Tory donors in talks about electoral pact with the Brexit Party
The Daily Telegraph claims that donors to the Conservatives are in secret talks with Nigel Farage about the potential for an electoral pact between the Tories and the Brexit Party. It would see Farage agree not to stand candidates against Brexiteer Conservatives, while the Tories would not stand in northern Labour-held seats. A businessman told the paper that talks were at a ‘very preliminary’ stage.

Corbyn supports ‘Grenfell: Never Again’ campaign
The Daily Mirror says Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has given his party’s support to its ‘Grenfell: Never Again’ campaign. Corbyn said the Grenfell Tower fire was ‘a symbol of a failed housing system and the grotesque inequality in modern Britain’, criticising the Government’s lack of progress in removing flammable cladding from private buildings.

What policy areas do you need to monitor? Get it all with Vuelio Political Services.

Political Headlines – Tory leadership race dominates the headlines

June 14, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson allies telling vanity candidates to withdraw, Johnson under pressure over TV debates, Umunna joining Lib Dems and the Mirror’s Grenfell, Never Again campaign.

Johnson allies tell ‘vanity candidates’ to withdraw from contest
The Daily Telegraph reports that supporters of Boris Johnson are calling on ‘vanity candidates’ to pull out of the Conservative leadership election after seven of the ten candidates got through the first round, but Johnson secured 114 votes, ahead of Jeremy Hunt who had 71 fewer than him. Matt Hancock is apparently considering withdrawing and endorsing Sajid Javid.

Johnson under pressure over TV debates
According to The Times, Boris Johnson is under pressure to appear in television debates as all the other candidates did agree to. In a joint statement they said that debates would ‘shape and define’ their visions for the UK, while a spokesman for Johnson said that he was in talks with Channel 4. David Gauke, who supports Rory Stewart, said that if candidates ‘have something to hide they should not be running’.

Umunna joins Lib Dems
The Times reports that Chukka Umunna has joined the Liberal Democrats, saying that he was ‘wrong’ when he thought that a new party could succeed and had ‘vastly underestimated the importance of having an infrastructure’. He called on others to follow him and ‘to grab the chance to fundamentally change the system for ever now’. Lib Dem leader Vince Cable added that he was in talks with other MPs about possible defections.

Mirror launches ‘Grenfell, Never Again’ campaign
The Daily Mirror has launched a ‘Grenfell, Never Again’ campaign, marking two years after the fire at Grenfell Tower. It says that ‘tens of thousands of people are still living in unsafe buildings, families are still waiting to the rehoused and fire service funding has been cut’ and calls for the removal of risky cladding, sprinkler fitment, fire service cuts to be reversed and an independent body to oversee it, and an independent tenants’ rights regulator.

Major attacks leadership candidates over proroguing
The Guardian says that Sir John Major has ‘launched a blistering assault’ on the Tory candidates who have suggested that Parliament could be prorogued in order to ensure a no-deal Brexit. He accused them of ‘hypocrisy on a gold-plated standard’ and said that it was ‘fundamentally unconstitutional’. It adds that Rory Stewart has said that he would set up an ‘alternative parliament’ if Boris Johnson were to prorogue Parliament.

Raab claims he’s the candidate most feared by the EU
The Daily Telegraph says Dominic Raab has claimed that he is the Tory leadership contender who the EU would fear the most, telling the paper that as Prime Minister he would focus on those earning £15,000 a year, not those earning £50,000 a year. He denied having a ‘short temper’ and said he couldn’t speak about the NDA involving a former colleague.

IoD warns businesses aren’t prepared for October Brexit
The Financial Times reports that the Institute of Directors has warned that businesses have not made much progress in preparing for Brexit in October despite the growing probability of a no-deal Brexit. It calls on them to step up their preparations as they ‘cannot afford to put their faith in politicians to produce a Brexit resolution’.

Hammond tells candidates to promise to keep national debt falling
The Sun reports that Philip Hammond has written to the Conservative leadership candidates to ask them to commit to keeping the national debt falling, warning that failing to do so would risk losing the distinction between his party’s ‘fiscal responsibility’ and Labour’s ‘reckless promises’.

Keep on top of the policy areas that matter to you with Vuelio Political Services.

Does AI hate women? Female role models in data and AI

June 13, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR PR Blog Posts /by Rebecca Potts

For the past two days, The AI Summit has played host to the brightest brains in AI and technology from around the world. Ethics was high on the agenda, and as AI technologies advance, this discussion becomes more important, particularly around gender – both in development of the technology and ensuring it works effectively for all.

‘The importance of female role models in data and AI’ was a panel session chaired by David Reed, editor of DataIQ, who opened the discussion with the question on everyone’s lips: does AI hate women?

On the panel to answer this loaded question was Angela Livingstone, founder of Pitch Bitch; Diana Akhanho, senior insights manager at Tech Nation; Caroline Carruthers, director at Carruthers & Jackson; Clare Mortimer, executive partner, cognitive and analytics leader UK and Ireland at IBM; and Magda Piatkowska, head of data science solutions at the BBC.

While the panel were in agreement that AI was less favourable to women, they saw this problem as an opportunity for change, rather than a restriction. Mortimer said, ‘The more AI comes into our lives, the more conversations happen’, reinforcing Carruthers’ point that we need to ensure the people developing this technology are aware of the world outside of their own to create solutions that work for all.

All the panel members are part of Women in Data, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and empowering women in an industry historically dominated by men. Akhanho explained the organisation’s purpose, she said, ‘The reason why Women in Data exists is to empower people to help alleviate this issue’.

The conversation moved on to whether we can, or perhaps should, classify something as ‘female’. Livingstone said, ‘It’s not helpful to split things into male/female’ and Carruthers supported this point, she said: ‘We need to put the human into AI rather than assume gender’.

One of the challenges of creating AI technology that works for all is the lack of women in the industry; 2.1 million people work in UK tech but only 17% of these are women. Piatkowska commented that she’s found it easier to recruit female data scientists rather than female developers and believes this is due to the role of data scientist being a reasonably new profession.

The panel agreed that while they struggled to identify with the title of role model, they wanted to encourage and empower as many girls and women into STEM, creating more visibility. Mortimer summarised this: ‘We define diversity by what we see, but we need to be diverse by mindset, creating true diversity’.

As the creators of this new and evolving technology, we have the power to make AI work effectively for all, involving a diverse range of people along the way at every stage of development.

The AI Summit took place at the ExCel Centre in London on 12-13 June 2019. Hundreds of exhibitors were joined by speakers from the likes of Google, Microsoft and IBM, covering topics such as how AI is transforming the lives of NHS staff and using AI for good.

Daddy blogger spotlight: Tim Liew, Slouching Towards Thatcham

June 13, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Tim Liew is the blogger behind Slouching Towards Thatcham, which was recently ranked in the top 10 UK Daddy Blogs once again. Covering life as a father of three – with his fitness journey and incredible musical parodies along the way – Tim’s blog is known for its honest and insightful take on being a dad. We caught up with Tim to find out about being able to pick and choose collaborations, the changing roles of fathers in society and his broad range of favourite blogs.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I often describe myself as ‘a writer who just happens to have a blog’ rather than being a ‘blogger’ in the more commercial sense. I don’t write for a living and I don’t necessarily write to nurture an audience either.

My blog has always been a form of self-therapy that helps make sense of my thoughts and experiences and record them for posterity. If some of my stories resonate with people or reassure them that they’re not alone on the rollercoaster ride that is fatherhood, that’s a bonus – but it’s not why I write. If I’m being pretentious (which I will admit I often am) I would say ‘scribo ergo sum’: I write therefore I am.

How do social channels work with your blog – are any more important than others?
I primarily use a combination of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Broadly speaking, Facebook is for traffic, Twitter for conversation and Instagram for fun.

Determining the ideal mix is really up to you, though. Some people rely on Pinterest a lot. Others will openly admit they just don’t get Twitter but feel they need to be on there. There’s a lot of pressure, particularly for those trying to make a living from blogging, to be always-on on every channel. But my advice to any blogger is to focus on a few channels that you enjoy the most and to share the best possible content across them. It’s better to have a big presence on a few channels than to spread yourself too thinly across all of them.

What’s the perfect Father’s Day?
A little bit of ‘me’ time and a lot of family time. I’m not bothered by material gifts at all. Most years the best presents I get are hand-drawn cards from the kids and their proud grins as they serve up breakfast in bed.

How much does Father’s Day affect your content?
It doesn’t, really. I have often written about my Father’s Day experiences in the past but I don’t make a point of generating lots of Father’s Day content such as gift guides or best days out every year. If I have something original to write, I will, but I don’t force it.

How is the role of dad changing in society?
It still has some way to go but it has changed enormously in my lifetime alone. So many dads are much more involved and present in their children’s lives than our fathers were. And it goes way beyond changing the odd nappy or ‘babysitting’ the children while mum’s out. You can see it in the increasing number of stay-at-home dads or the number of fathers who do the school run or share childcare responsibilities. The lines between ‘dads’ and ‘mums’ have blurred. Increasingly we’re now ‘parents’ and more of us expect – and thrive on – the added responsibility and time with our kids.

What’s the best balance between visual and written content?
A little from column A, a little from column B. Visuals – whether it’s photos, longer-form video or Instagram Stories – are increasingly important and can make a blogger really stand out from the crowd. But – and I knowingly say this with the bias of someone who has always been a writer first – the words are still important. A blogger’s visuals are the equivalent of a film trailer that draws you in but it’s their words that are the movie itself, adding substance to the style. These days you need to be good with both.

Do you accept press releases?
I do occasionally but only if it is something that genuinely interests me or sparks off some creative ideas of my own.

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
I do very little commercial work nowadays so I can afford to pick and choose. But all my best collaborations have been built on two-way relationships with brands I have an emotional collection with. I respond best when working with a brand who is genuinely receptive to my ideas, as opposed to ‘We just need a blog post and an Instagram story by Friday’. And, of course, it’s always easier to produce great content about products you already feel good about. I’ve always been honest with my reviews and I won’t write half-hearted platitudes just to keep a marketer happy.

What advice would you give to PRs/brands reaching out to you?
Appreciate the value that bloggers can bring and treat us as creative partners rather than blank advertising hoardings. Yes, I know you need us to deliver audiences and numbers. And I know you’re talking to 100 different bloggers about ten different campaigns at the same time but treat a blogger well and they will not only deliver great content for this campaign but will be a willing partner for you on future projects too.

What other blogs do you read?
I read several of the other dad blogs in your top ten but I also read across a variety of different genres beyond parenting. As a lifelong Arsenal fan, I religiously read Arseblog and listen to its sister podcast, the Arsecast. I love professional cycling so my go-tos are The Inner Ring for his expertise and Velovoices for their fan-led views (full disclosure: I founded the latter, although I’m not involved with it any more.) And, as a former TV reviewer, my first port of call is often The AV Club for their in-depth and thoughtful observations on my favourite US shows.

Political Headlines – Boris, Brexit and the Tory leadership race

June 13, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson vows to leave the EU, Labour fails to block no-deal, Tory candidates campaigning for the top job and Sedwill criticised for online talking to leadership front runners.

Johnson vows to leave EU on 31 October but faces criticism for dodging questions
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson has said he has the ‘guts and the courage’ to ensure that the UK leaves the EU by 31 October, warning of ‘mortal retribution’ from voters if MPs stopped Brexit. He now has 81 declared supporters, more than twice as many as any other candidate. The Times claims that Johnson has assured senior Brexiteers that he will not rule out suspending Parliament to stop it from blocking a no-deal Brexit, while the Daily Mirror reports that he ducked questions about his past use of cocaine and other issues.

Labour attempt to block no-deal Brexit blocked
The Guardian reports that a Labour-led cross-party move to prevent a no-deal Brexit was blocked by 11 votes yesterday. Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer warned Conservative leadership candidates that his party would ‘use whatever mechanism it can’ to prevent such an outcome, though former Conservative MP Nick Boles cautioned that ‘it is very hard to see where any further legislative opportunities will come from’.

Stewart appeals for votes, Javid is the ‘change candidate’ and Hancock can beat Corbyn
The Sun says that Rory Stewart is appealing for votes so that he can get through the first round of the leadership contest, telling the paper he is ‘one or two votes short’ and MPs should ‘give me a chance’. The Times reports that Sajid Javid used his campaign launch yesterday to claim that he was the ‘change candidate’ and criticised ‘the same old insiders with the same old school ties’, while The Guardian says Matt Hancock claimed he could beat Jeremy Corbyn by ‘turning the page’ on Brexit and ‘putting pounds in people’s pockets’.

Sedwill criticised for only talking to leadership frontrunners
According to The Times, Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill is being criticised for only having held talks with the two frontrunners in the Conservative leadership contest, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt. A spokesman for Dominic Raab described the news as ‘disappointing’ while another campaign said ‘the civil service should be treating all candidates equally’.

Mail hails victory in Post Office campaign
The Daily Mail is hailing a victory in its campaign against Post Office closures after business minister Kelly Tolhurst announced a new review of the pay of postmasters, which she wants to ‘be concluded as soon as possible to ensure postmasters receive a fair wage’, starting with a summit today.

NAO issues warning about Help to Buy
The Financial Times reports that the National Audit Office has warned that the Government’s Help to Buy scheme has exposed the Government to ‘significant market risk’ and that some buyers who have made use of it are at risk of entering negative equity. The scheme was introduced in 2013 in a bid to help more people buy homes for the first time.

Channel 4 may ‘empty chair’ Johnson if he refuses debate invite
The Sun claims that Channel 4 may ‘empty chair’ Boris Johnson in its planned televised leadership debate on Sunday. Johnson is apparently the only one of the candidates not to have agreed to appear. His campaign insists that it is in talks with all broadcasters, with the BBC planning a debate on Tuesday and ITV a head-to-head between the last two candidates.

Cabinet note warns UK not ready for no-deal in October
The Financial Times has seen a confidential Cabinet note which warns the UK is not prepared for a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, especially with regard to medicines and border control. The note, prepared for a meeting on 21 May but not circulated, claims many plans in place have only ‘a minimum viable level of capability’, while others had ‘material’ shortcomings.

The leadership race is not the only important political story – stay up to date with the areas that matter to you with Vuelio Political Services.

Political Headlines – Boris on top and Labour’s attempt to block no-deal

June 12, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s political headlines includes polls favoring Boris for PM, Labour launching an attempt to block no-deal, May to make net zero emissions target legally binding and Oxfam given three weeks to reform.

New poll shows Johnson would deliver best election results for Tories
The Daily Telegraph reports that Boris Johnson is to launch his Conservative leadership campaign today, pledging to leave the EU on 31 October no matter what, and warning that further delays will ensure that the party will ‘kick the bucket’. A new poll by ComRes released today suggests that Johnson could win up to 140 seats if he led the party, increasing its share of the vote from 23% to 37% – much more than any of his rivals.

Labour launches attempt to block no-deal Brexit
The Guardian says that Labour is today launching the first stage of a cross-party attempt to block a no-deal Brexit. It is tabling a motion backed by the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Conservative MP Oliver Letwin which would give MPs control of the parliamentary agenda on 25 June, allowing legislation to prevent a no-deal Brexit to be commenced. To pass, the support of more Tory MPs will be needed.

May to make net zero emissions target legally-binding
The Guardian reports that Theresa May is to make a commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 law, putting forward an amendment to the Climate Change Act today. This has been welcomed by environmental campaigners, though concerns have been raised by the use of international carbon credits which Greenpeace argues will ‘shift the burden to developing nations’.

Oxfam given three weeks to reform or it will lose aid funding
The Times reports that the Charity Commission has told Oxfam to produce a reform plan within three weeks or lose access to funding from the taxpayer permanently. The official warning was issued following a report into the charity after revelations about sexual exploitation in Haiti and harassment and discrimination in the UK became public last year. A source at the commission said that Oxfam’s ‘broken promises were a recurring theme’.

Javid tells Tories not to pick a ‘comfort zone choice’
The Times reports that Sajid Javid will today tell Conservative MPs that they shouldn’t make a ‘comfort zone choice’, arguing that he offers ‘a new kind of leadership and a new kind of leader’. He will be introduced by the Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson who will claim that her leadership shows that success follows picking ‘someone totally different’.

MPs raise concerns about NHS waiting times
The Financial Times carries details of a warning by the Public Accounts Committee that health leaders have a ‘troubling’ lack of understanding about the harm caused to patients by growing waiting lists. Just 38% of NHS trusts meet the 62-day waiting time limit to treat urgently-referred cancer patients.

Thousands sign petition on pensioners’ TV licences
The Sun says that over 249,000 people have signed an Age UK petition calling on the BBC to change its mind about abolishing free TV licences for the over-75s. Tory leadership candidate Matt Hancock said that the decision should be reversed, while Michael Gove and Esther McVey pledged to decriminalise non-payment of the licence fee.

Cabinet bickers over no-deal Brexit preparations
According to The Times, Cabinet ministers were split over no-deal Brexit preparations at their meeting yesterday. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay criticised the Treasury, raising concerns about a ‘drift’ in planning, while Home Secretary Sajid Javid claimed that Chancellor Philip Hammond had ignored a request for more border force funding; Hammond said that he hadn’t seen it, with Javid later submitting a formal request.

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Barry Leggetter PRCA international president

PRCA goes global with membership drive and new chapter in Lebanon

June 12, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR PR Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The PRCA has made two international announcements: it has launched its global membership drive, with 16 corporate members already signed up, and announced a new chapter opening in Lebanon.

The global membership initiative was announced at the PRCA’s inaugural International Conference by Barry Leggetter, who was recently appointed international president. He said: ‘Today, the PRCA announces that we are going global. As the world’s largest and most dynamic PR professional body, we have a duty to grow the industry and the profession worldwide.

‘PRCA international membership will allow all international practitioners to grow their careers, their talents and their knowledge. Crucially, PRCA international membership will provide the gold standard of ethical accreditation – adherence to the PRCA Professional Charter and Codes of Conduct.’

The first 16 members to join are:

Action Global
Absolute
Ardency
Bellbird
Best Communications
BNY Mellon
Boman Communications
EMG
Fabiola Morera Comunicationes Ltd
Golin
GPLUS
SEC Global
Strategic Communications Africa
Strateus Group
TandT Consultants
Weber Shandwick

PRCA Lebanon
Following this announcement, the PRCA has also launched PRCA Lebanon as the latest chapter of PRCA MENA. It will be chaired by Beirut-based industry leaders Suzanne Talhouk MPRCA, General Manager, Levant, H+K Strategies, Joumana Rizk-Yarak MPRCA, Managing Director, Mirros and Myrna Abou Mrad el Khoury MPRCA, CEO, The Full Circles.

Founding members include leading Lebanese consultancies Asdaa BCW, H+K Strategies, MIRROS Communication & Media Services, Quantum, and The Full Circles.

PRCA Lebanon is holding its launch event on Tuesday, 25 June, 2019 at The Gathering, Pasteur Street, Gemmayze, Beirut, from 18:30 to 21:00. If you would like to join as a founding PRCA Lebanon members to be announced at the launch night, please get in touch with [email protected].

Daddy Blog Spotlight: Tom Briggs, Diary of the Dad

June 11, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Tom Briggs is the man behind Diary of the Dad, which recently shot up the charts in the Top 10 UK Daddy Blogs. Started in 2010, Diary of the Dad has gone from hobby to full-time profession as Tom tracks life parenting three kids. We caught up with Tom to find out what makes father’s day special, why his own dad is his hero and how he works with different brands and PRs.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I just tell them I’m a full-time blogger. People sometimes still ask how that works but blogging for a living seems to have become much more recognised as ‘a thing’ in the last couple of years.

This doesn’t necessarily equate to people respecting it as much as other career choices yet, but it’s just a matter of time. Perceptions of social media jobs have changed dramatically since the first ones were advertised and the same will happen here.

How do social channels work with your blog – are any more important than others?
I think they’re all important as they appeal to different audiences so I have a presence on all of the main platforms.

Personally, I’ve always preferred Twitter but I think it’s vital to be on a few – particularly if you make a living out of blogging.

What’s the perfect father’s day?
This probably sounds really cheesy but spending the day with my family is all I need. The usual routine is breakfast in bed with a gift and cards from the kids.

We often go to my parents’ house for a barbecue, so I get to spend time with my dad too. In fact, we play five-a-side together every Sunday evening as well. I hope I’m still playing when I’m almost 70 – it’s one of the many reasons he’s my hero!

How much does father’s day affect your content?
It has always been my busiest time of year in terms of approaches from brands and PRs, so that translates to my blog content.

It’s also a good opportunity to write about topics related to being a dad. Last year, for example, I wrote posts calling out dad-bashing and dad skills lists.

How is the role of dad changing in society?
I think we’re in the early stages of a cultural shift in attitude but it will still take years or even decades for dads to be truly recognised as equal parents. Workplace legislation has a key part to play here. It needs to change to help things along.

Paternity leave is woefully inadequate while shared parental leave is open to relatively few, so dads are already at a disadvantage. I’d love to see the UK following in the footsteps of countries like Sweden by making it easier for fathers to spend time with their families from day one.

What’s the best balance between visual and written content?
I started out as a journalist so written content has always been more important to me. Achieving a balance is vital though and, to a certain degree, blog posts will succeed or fail based on how they look at first glance.

I’ve really upped my game with photography in recent years and need to get braver when it comes to creating more video content too.

Do you accept press releases?
Yes, I’m always open to receiving press releases and they’ve led to some brilliant collaborations as well as ideas for content that has performed really well.

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
There have been so many over the years and I’ve only ever agreed to things that really appeal to me, so most have been great. Going to Berlin with Coca-Cola to blog about its annual grassroots football event ranks highly though.

I witnessed kids from all over the world making friends over the common language of football, met three World Cup winners and even scored a diving header in the match arranged for media and PR!

What advice would you give to PRs/brands reaching out to you?
The best approaches I’ve received are where the PRs or brands have taken time to read my ‘work with me’ page plus a post or two to get a feel for who I am and the kind of content I work on.

Those that come with a detailed brief are always good too. Having all of the important information in one place makes collaborations so much easier, particularly if a quick turnaround is required.

What other blogs do you read?
I read a lot of other parenting blogs and, perhaps unsurprisingly, many of them are written by other dads. Dad Blog UK, DIY Daddy and Father Hood are among those that I read most often.

Political Headlines – Tory leader candidates attack BoJo

June 11, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Jennifer Prescott

Today’s political headlines includes Gove’s personal attacks on Boris; Hunt, Gove and Raab attack Boris’ tax cut plans; and BBC faces backlash over acing of free TV licences for over 75s.

Gove’s personal attacks on Boris
The front page of The Daily Telegraph focuses on Michael Gove’s ‘personal attack’ on Boris Johnson, which it calls ‘an act of desperation’. Yesterday Gove joked ‘whatever you do, don’t pull out – I know you have before’. The newspaper says Gove is quickly losing ground to Jeremy Hunt, who it claims is now Boris’ main rival in the leadership race.

Hunt, Gove and Raab attack Boris’ tax cut plans
The Times reports that Conservative leadership contenders have criticised Boris Johnson’s plans to cut taxes for the wealthiest. Boris has been accused of making the Conservative Party look like the ‘party of privilege’, as he revealed plans to raise the threshold for higher rate income tax from £50,000 to £80,000.

BBC faces backlash over axing of free TV licences for over 75s
The Daily Mail reports on the BBC’s decision to scrap free TV licences for the over 75s, which is referred to as ‘BBC betrayal of the elderly’. From June 2020, only those on pension credit will be eligible for a free TV licence. The Daily Mirror claims that a lot of anger is being aimed at the Government, as during the 2017 election, the Conservatives promised that free TV licences for the over 75s would be maintained.

Rory Stewart warns ‘electoral bribes’ by Tory Leadership candidates risk party reputation
According to the BBC, Rory Stewart has warned leadership rivals against offering ‘cheap electoral bribes’, saying the Tory membership are ‘smarter than this’. As opposed to ‘being straight with the people’, Stewart said his opponents had pledged ‘eye-watering’ tax cuts worth £84bn. He is expected to propose that any money available from a negotiated Brexit deal should instead go towards technical education and digital infrastructure.

EU take ‘deeply critical’ view of Tory leadership candidates
The Guardian reports that after a Brexit hiatus, Brussels is watching the Tory leadership race with both ‘amazement and exasperation’. According to the Guardian, the EU see bookies’ favourite Boris Johnson as a ‘Trumpian figure’, remembered for his time working as Brussels correspondent of the Daily Telegraph in the 1990s where he mocked EU regulations and promoted ‘Euromyths’. Meanwhile, Dominic Raab is said to be held in low esteem after losing the trust of EU counterparts during his time as Brexit Secretary.

We’re only on day two of a six week campaign – keep up to date with Vuelio Political Services.

Political Headlines – Gove’s campaign blow and BoJo’s tax cuts

June 10, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s political headlines includes Gove battling to save his leadership bid after cocaine revelations, Johnson to cut income tax for three million, Rudd backs Hunt for leader and Corbyn defending Lisa Forbes.

Gove battles to save campaign after cocaine revelations
The Times reports Michael Gove is in a battle to ‘save his campaign’ after he was accused of hypocrisy over his past use of cocaine. He has insisted that ‘people should be given the chance to redeem themselves and to change’, but leadership rival Sajid Javid said that drug-users ‘should be thinking about the impact they’re having on others’. As Education Secretary he introduced rules saying that teachers should be permanently banned if convicted of using Class A drugs, while as a journalist he condemned drug-using ‘middle-class professionals’.

Johnson to cut income tax for three million
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson would cut three million people’s income tax if he becomes Prime Minister, increasing the 40p rate threshold to £80,000 from £50,000. This will cost £9.6bn a year, which he intends to fund from the £26.6bn ‘fiscal headroom’ set aside by the Treasury for no-deal Brexit preparations. He claims that this will ‘stimulate’ the economy, allowing ‘for much greater economic growth’.

Rudd backs Hunt for leader as he endorses cutting abortion time limit
The Times says that Amber Rudd is backing Jeremy Hunt’s campaign for the Tory leadership, claiming he would be a ‘serious leader’, adding the UK needs ‘a skilled negotiator and deal-maker, not an instruction for more optimism’. The Guardian adds Hunt has been criticised after he argued in favour of halving the legal time limit for abortions from 24 to 12 weeks.

New Labour MP ‘not a racist’, Corbyn says
The Guardian says Jeremy Corbyn has defended Lisa Forbes, elected for the party in last week’s Peterborough by-election, as ‘not a racist in any way’. The Jewish Labour Movement has called for Forbes to have the whip suspended over antisemitic posts on social media, including liking a Facebook post claiming Theresa May had a ‘Zionist slave masters agenda’ and endorsing a post which claimed that the CIA and Mossad had created Islamic extremists.

Concerns raised about ‘secretive’ Home Office visa algorithm
According to the Financial Times, the Home Office has been criticised for its use of a ‘secretive algorithm’ to process visa applications, grading them prior to forwarding them to caseworkers. It has refused to provide details about the factors the algorithm uses to makes decisions, leading Christina Blacklaws, President of the Law Society, to warn that it ‘may well disadvantage certain groups of people’ on grounds such as age or country of origin.

Corbyn considers reshuffling Thornberry over second referendum support
The Guardian claims Jeremy Corbyn is considering reshuffling his frontbench and moving Emily Thornberry from Shadow Foreign Secretary as punishment for calling for the party to back a second Brexit referendum. Some of Corbyn’s allies are also backing a new contest for Deputy Leader, so that Tom Watson can be replaced after his calls for a referendum.

Godsiff to be rebuked over support for anti-LGBT education campaigners
The Daily Mirror says Labour MP Roger Godsiff is to be rebuked by the party’s chief whip Nick Brown after he told campaigners protesting against the teaching of LGBT relationships at primary schools in Birmingham that they were ‘right’ and had a ‘just cause’. A party spokesperson said that it ‘has long supported and campaigned for LGBT inclusive education’.

Hancock vows to raise National Living Wage while Javid promises schools investment
The Sun says that Matt Hancock is to promise to make the next decade the ‘soaring twenties’ and increase the National Living Wage to £10.21 by 2022, giving millions an extra £3500 a year. The paper also reports that Sajid Javid has promised to end austerity if he becomes Prime Minister, and give ‘a multi-year, multibillion-pound boost’ to schools spending.

Keep up to date with the campaigns for our next PM and the policy areas that matter to you with Vuelio Political Services.

The right blend: how ‘chameleon’ brands do it

June 10, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Marketing, PR Club PR, Comms Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This a guest post by Katy Bloomfield, comms director at TopLine Comms.

Nineteen years ago, an Admap editorial defined ‘chameleon brands’ as organisations with a strong, consistent core that can nevertheless be adapted to different target audiences, different needs, and different media. They retain their ‘shapes’, but the ‘colours’ of what they offer tend to vary; they’re usually multi-product, multi-variant, and if they’re particularly successful, they can even become part of everyday life.

Microsoft started out as a developer of operating systems and grew into a multi-billion-dollar empire covering software, video games, cloud computing, VR and much more. WPP started out making wire baskets (Wire and Plastic Products) before it was acquired and became one of the biggest PR, advertising, and marketing companies globally.

These brands are defined by their ability to change. Preferences, fads and demographics come and go, but these companies endure – even in the wake of controversy and tumultuous market changes.

What makes a ‘chameleonic’ brand?

Chameleon culture
Disney is a classic example. In 1928, it was a humble animation studio experimenting with radical techniques such as synchronized sound.

In 2019, it’s an entertainment juggernaut that plays host to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Star Wars Saga; a number of theme parks; a chain of stores; a major American television network (ABC) and a range of cable networks; a streaming service set to launch later this year; and yes, its own animation studios (as well as those it has acquired, like Pixar). And all that’s before you count all the properties acquired since purchasing 21st century Fox in March.

Disney’s succeeded because it ventured out of its general ballpark – animation and children’s movies – while staying roughly in the same neighbourhood of entertainment. Its scope has expanded, but it’s stayed true to its founder’s famous maxim: ‘Whatever you do, do it well’. Disney’s created a niche, a culture and a reputation for quality that bleeds into everything else.

Disney, of course, came to prominence when cinema was dominant, and television was not yet a fixture of every household. So how might a similar company rise to prominence in the digital-first era?

Chameleons in the age of digital disruption
Its most obvious digital heir is Netflix – a company at the cutting edge of everything new and interesting happening in the world of entertainment.

But 20 years ago, it was a mail-order DVD rental service. In an age where Blockbuster forced you to travel to its physical locations, adhere to its strict one-seven day rental terms, and which punished you with fines if you didn’t, it was quietly revolutionary. But Netflix’s owners realised that the business’ true potential didn’t lie in a waning DVD market – it was in creating its own content.

So mail-order DVD rentals went, the platform was built, and eventually, it invested in its own content, licensing series that weren’t available elsewhere (Breaking Bad was a Netflix exclusive in the UK for its final seasons), launching its own in-house series such as House of Cards and BoJack Horseman, and reaching a point where it spent an estimated $12 billion on original series in 2018. The company’s business model has changed, but the core understanding – that consumer preference is always paramount – has not. That’s why the transition from mail-order DVDs to streaming behemoth makes sense; audiences come by content, the platform logs their preferences, and these preferences inform what they watch next and what gets commissioned.

Netflix and Disney have two very different stories, but they’re successful for the same reasons: they’re all things to all consumers. The former is producing romcoms, action films and thoughtful, Oscar-winning dramas, and the latter has Captain America for the kids and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia for the grownups.

What’s next for chameleon brands?
Facebook has achieved a similar status to Netflix and Disney – and the company’s new direction may be no less dramatic than Netflix’s transition to streaming or Disney’s acquisition of pretty much everything. Following several data protection scandals, it’s moving away from ‘making connections’ and towards a fundamental shift that puts private communications at the centre of everything.

As Mark Zuckerberg said, ‘the future is private’. Small groups and encrypted one-to-one messaging have led to digital ‘living rooms’, rather than ‘virtual town halls’. It’s an acknowledgement that the way we use social media has changed, but it’s also something else: an attempt to become chameleonic – to attune Facebook to the needs of its audience in a world where their preferences are evolving.

Facebook is likely not in any real danger of disappearing like Blockbuster, or receding into irrelevance like MySpace. But it’s showing what it means to become a chameleon brand: to change what it was, while retaining its core appeal – to take part in a future that the audience wants, rather than attempting to create one that it doesn’t.

It’s a lesson all brands, big and small, could take to heart.

Sarah Hall named chair of PRCA Borderlands and North East Group

June 7, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News PR Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has appointed founder and editor of #FuturePRoof, Sarah Hall FPRCA, as its Borderlands and North East Group Chair. She will be joined by PR and communications consultant, Katy Barden MPRCA, who has been appointed group coordinator.

Former CIPR president (and current vice president), Sarah is a pioneer of best practice and a champion of increasing diversity in the industry. She has previously been awarded the CIPR’s Sir Stephen Tallents Medal for exceptional achievement in public relations, and the PRCA’s Outstanding Contribution in Digital Award.

The Borderlands and North East Group, announced earlier this year, organises and oversees PRCA activity in the south of Scotland, including the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway, down into Cumbria, and spanning across to Newcastle and the North East area of the UK.

Sarah said: ‘It’s hugely positive to see the PRCA continuing to develop on-the-ground support for its members. Chairing the Borderlands and North East group is a real privilege and I’m looking forward to working with Katy Barden and others to establish something really useful on the patch.

‘The first few months will be spent listening to member needs so we can deliver the greatest value both directly and through events. Katy is already working hard to strengthen relationships and understand views.

‘We’re keen not to duplicate what’s already out there and will be looking to collaborate on issues where the industry needs a more unified voice. If you’re a PRCA member or even if you’re not yet, come and get involved!’

Francis Ingham MPRCA, director general of the PRCA, said: ‘It is a personal and professional honour to welcome Sarah as the chair of our inaugural PRCA Borderlands and North East Group. Sarah’s leadership of #FuturePRoof was truly inspirational, and it was a pleasure to work with her during her term as CIPR President. Her passion and her insight will be very welcome indeed in this new PRCA role as together we drive our industry towards ever higher standards.’

For more information on joining the new Borderlands and North East Group please email Katy Barden at [email protected].

Everyone at Vuelio would also like to congratulate Sarah on her recent marriage to Stephen Waddington – a true industry power couple.

Say hello to the new Mr and Mrs Waddington ❤️ #HallAndWaddsGetWed pic.twitter.com/57DSztRF8g

— Sarah Waddington (@Mrs_Wadds) 31 May 2019

Political Headlines – Labour wins Peterborough and the Queen’s terrible conflict

June 7, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s political headlines includes Labour winning the Peterborough by-election, Queen could be put in a terrible conflict over suspending Parliament, Hammond and May in row over money and Johnson more likely to win back Brexit Party supporters.

Labour wins Peterborough by-election
As the BBC reports, Labour’s Lisa Forbes has won the Peterborough by-election, seeing off the Brexit Party’s Mike Greene by 683 votes. She claimed that the electorate had ‘rejected the politics of division’, embracing the ‘politics of hope’, but Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said that his party’s result was ‘very significant. Labour MPs Margaret Hodge and Jess Phillips have raised concerns about Forbes after it emerged that she’d liked a social media post claiming that Theresa May had a ‘Zionist slave masters agenda’.

Queen could be put in ‘a terrible conflict’ over suspending Parliament
The Times says Hannah White of the Institute for Government has warned that suspending Parliament in order to enable a no-deal Brexit would put her in ‘a terrible conflict’, suggesting the palace might delay the process long enough to allow Parliament to prevent itself from being prorogued. Tory leadership candidate Dominic Raab, has refused to rule it out, but rivals including Matt Hancock and Rory Stewart have criticised this stance, with Stewart claiming that such a move would be ‘unlawful, undemocratic and unachievable’.

Hammond and May in row over May’s £10bn leaving announcements
The Financial Times says that Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond are arguing over a number of spending announcements she wants to make before her departure as Prime Minister, including increasing education spending. The Treasury is apparently concerned that May’s plans might cost over £10bn, and Hammond doesn’t want to spend his ‘war chest’ until a no-deal Brexit is ruled out, in case it is needed as a ‘cushion’.

Polling shows Johnson most likely to win back Brexit Party supporters
The Daily Telegraph says that private polling of the Conservatives’ 48 most marginal seats by CTF Partners has found that Boris Johnson is the leadership candidate who is most likely to regain supporters lost since Theresa May became party leader. 59% Brexit Party and UKIP backers said that they were more likely to back the Tories under Johnson’s leadership, with just 31% saying that his nearest rival, Michael Gove, would have the same effect.

Javid in ‘veiled’ attack on Johnson over ‘exploiting division’
The Times says that Sajid Javid has made ‘a thinly veiled attack’ on Boris Johnson, telling an event that the worst thing you can do to ‘get votes is to appeal to division, to exacerbate division, to get angry people to vote for you’, adding that he believes that some of his rivals would ‘try to win a general election’ through ‘exploiting division’. He said that to deliver Brexit, people’s ‘underlying frustrations’ that led them to vote for it need to be dealt with.

Hancock promises business rates cut for small retailers
Interviewed by The Daily Telegraph, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has promised to axe small retailers’ business rates at a cost of £1.5bn and set the new digital services tax at a higher level in order to fund this, arguing that this would help to ‘level the playing field’ and ‘save the high street’.

DWP extends benefits assessment contracts
The Daily Mirror reveals that the Government has extended its contracts with Atos and Maximus to test people’s eligibility for benefits without going out to tender, giving them an extra £630m. Labour’s Shadow Minister for Disabled People, Marsha De Cordova said the decision was ‘scandalous’ and criticised the firms’ assessments for ‘appalling inaccuracies’.

Badenoch backs Gove
The Sun says that Conservative vice chair and ‘rising star’ Kemi Badenoch has resigned from her post in order to support Michael Gove’s campaign for the Tory leadership. Writing in the paper, she says that she is a ‘realist’ and is ‘suspicious of anyone proposing simple answers’ to Brexit, and praises Gove’s education reforms.

Stay up to date with the political stories that matter to you, get Vuelio Political Services.

PR and Journalist ‘Blind Date’: When TopLine Communications met a Tech Freelance Journalist

June 6, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, journalism, PR PR Blog Posts /by Rebecca Potts

Our latest professional pairing were Katy Bloomfield, comms director at TopLine Communications and Nicholas Booth, a freelance journalist specialising in tech. Here’s what happened when they met for their PR and journalist lunch.

How was your lunch?
Katy: Lunch with Nicholas was great. It was quite fun to not know so little about the journalist I was meeting – and as it turned out, I was already familiar with some of Nicholas’ journalism – so the conversation got off to a very easy start. Over lunch we had a good chat about the industry, and how media consumption habits together with the influence of marketing have changed things for PRs and Journalists alike. The food was tasty too!

Nicholas: The lunch was lovely. It was a beautiful day, the setting was superb and my dinner companion was charming and eloquent.

I wasn’t sure what to order, so I just copied Katy’s choice of starters. It’s an old technique I’ve been using since school – copy the person who looks more confident than you.

As a starter, Katy chose New Season Asparagus, with Hazelnut dressing and rapeseed emulsion. And what a coincidence, that’s exactly what I wanted! For the main course Katy had the fish pie. A good choice I thought, but I thought I’d better get something different or it would look odd, so I chose the free range Chicken Kiev with young carrots. I got a side of chips at the prompting of the waiter. Katy had one of my chips, which I guess was a way of saying, ‘we need to break down the old food ordering paradigms’.

My operation has been cancelled- I was due for major surgery – so I chose to have a drink with our meal. I’ve got a clear diary now, so what the hell. Katy was more conscientious of the fact that this was a Monday lunch time meeting and – unlike some people – she has plenty of work to do. So I just had one glass of red wine.

Did you learn anything new about their role? If so, what?
Katy: I learned that Nick started out in the IT industry – before making the switch to writing – it’s always interesting to hear how someone’s career started. We also spoke about the different types of writing he does – I’ll definitely be looking out for some of Nicholas’ comedy pieces too.

Nicholas: Yes, I was surprised by how much her role has evolved. I had pictured Katy and her team having boisterous banter in the office about the challenges of dealing with the Aggrievance (I believe that is the collective noun) of technology journalists on their radar.

But in fact, hacks seem to be a minor irritation. There seems to be a much broader remit for PRs these days. Getting press coverage is still important, but the role has extended into new areas of marketing responsibility. There is a lot more research into the groundswell of public opinion, which influences the way PRs supply news. And once it has been ‘consumed’ (for want of a better word) Katy and her colleagues take a much more active role in managing the response. I suppose technology companies ultimately hire PRs to help them sell more of their products and services, and these days PRs have a much wider remit in demand creation and managing customer enquiries. They’ve extended their brief on the supply and demand side of the equation.

If you could share one top tip from lunch what would it be?
Katy: Nicholas had some great ideas around making more use of online news comment sections – either for gathering insight and opinion, or stoking debate further – which I think has perhaps been a missed opportunity to date.

Nicholas: I think we were both a bit tense. I would have liked to have met on a Friday afternoon and we both got absolutely trollied and shared horror stories about our experiences of the business. That was what it used to be like, back in the golden age of ‘freelunch journalism’.

It was a glorious day too. It’s a shame we didn’t sit outside.

Do you think this lunch will change how you interact with PRs/journalists in the future?
Katy: Meeting Nicholas definitely reinforced a few beliefs on how PRs should communicate with media. The old adage of explaining something as you would to your friends in the pub is so important – but it can become easily tangled up in detail and carefully crafted messaging. There’s definitely a finite balance to achieve!

Nicholas: Well, I do have a greater respect for the wide range of activities they are involved in.

It’s quite humbling in some respect, as you realise how the importance of journalists is diminishing by the day. Mind you, that might just be me.

Did you disagree on anything? If so, what?
Katy: I actually don’t think we did!

Nicholas: Not really. I think we were both being very polite!

If you could change one thing about PRs/journalists what would it be and why?
Katy: I think whether or not it is true, there is a perception that getting journalists out of the office to meet is challenging – particularly if you don’t have an immediate or urgent story to offer. But there’s really no substitute for meeting face to face and getting to know someone on a personal level. So, if I could change one thing, it would be to encourage more casual meetings with PRs.

Nicholas: The strategy for press coverage seems to be very much a numbers game now. Bash out a press release with all the catchphrases that marketing managers expect to see and that netbots and algorithms are looking for. To hell with any human experience. Some press releases are so hard to look at that it’s less painful to rub your eyes on a cheese grater.

Increasing automation hasn’t liberated us at all. It just means the people that we answer to – be they customer or clients – have higher expectations.

Personally, I find very few press releases easy to understand and I’ve had 20 years of experience in trying to translate them from netbot language into English.

If there was one thing I really wish I could change? Some days I wish I could run away from it all and join a circus. Although I’d settle for a nice lunch every Friday with a trusted PR contact. The humanity of the business is being eroded. There are three senses I look for in a good PR contact. Common sense, a sense of humour and a sense of proportion.

Finally, do you think you’ll stay in touch?
Katy: Yes, definitely.

Nicholas: Yes, definitely. It always makes a massive difference if you have met someone and they can talk with you, rather than at you. I think Katy could be a fantastic source of wisdom.

Katy and Nicholas’ ‘blind date’ took place at the Paternoster Chop House aka the First Dates restaurant! If you’re a PR or a journalist and you’d like to be set up on one of Vuelio’s professional ‘blind dates’, please email Rebecca Potts.

Political Headlines – Gove would delay Brexit to get a deal and Peterborough by-election

June 6, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s political headlines includes Gove saying he would delay Brexit to get a deal, the ‘very close’ Peterborough by-election, Hancock comparing Corbyn to Hitler and the £1tn cost of net zero emissions.

Gove says he would delay Brexit to get a deal
The Daily Telegraph reports that Michael Gove told the One Nation group of centrist Conservative MPs that he would delay Brexit beyond 31 October, if it would deliver a deal, and that, while no-deal should be ‘on the table’, it wasn’t ‘the best option’. However, Dominic Raab told the same group that he would definitely leave by that date, and was prepared to suspend Parliament in order to do so, and Jeremy Hunt warned that a ‘hardline approach’ from the UK would merely lead the EU to respond in kind.

Brexit Party and Labour ‘very, very close’ in Peterborough by-election
The Guardian reports from today’s by-election in Peterborough, with a source in the local Labour party claiming it is ‘very, very close’ between them and the Brexit Party, and warning Labour may find it hard to get its voters to turn out. According to the paper, the Tories, who held the seat from 2005 to 2017, ‘are widely thought to be out of the running’.

Hancock compares Corbyn to Hitler
The Times reports that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has compared Jeremy Corbyn to Hitler, warning that if the Conservative Party did not pick someone who could beat him, the UK ‘could end up with the first antisemitic leader of a western nation’ since World War Two. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that the remarks were ‘a disgrace’.

Chancellor warns of cost of net zero emissions
According to the Financial Times, Chancellor Philip Hammond has written to Theresa May to warn that reaching net zero emissions by 2050 will cost the country more than £1tn, meaning that less would be available for other areas of public spending and making some sectors of British industry ‘economically uncompetitive’.

Trump compares Irish border to that between USA and Mexico
The Guardian reports that Donald Trump started his visit to Ireland by comparing its border with Northern Ireland to that between the USA and Mexico, saying that he thought it would ‘all work out very well’ after Brexit ‘with your wall, your border’. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkhar later said that Trump ‘shares our objective to keep the border open’.

Small employers may have to report gender pay gap
The Financial Times reports that Hilary Spencer, Director of the Government Equalities Office told members of the Commons Treasury Committee yesterday that the Government was considering bringing employers with under 250 employees into the scope of gender pay reporting, and increasing enforcement powers.

Grayling confirms HS2 is being reviewed
The Daily Mail says that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has confirmed that a review is being conducted into the deliverability of HS2, with the new chairman of the rail projects, Allan Cook, assessing whether it can be built within its current £65bn budget. He also indicated that elements could be scaled back, following the problems with Crossrail.

Gibb defends teaching of same-sex relationships
Writing in The Times, schools minister Nick Gibb says that pupils in Birmingham schools, should be taught about British values, including same-sex relationships, despite protests against this by Muslim parents. He also describes Ann Widdecombe’s defence of gay conversion therapy as ‘deeply offensive’ and warned Conservative leadership candidates that members and the public would not be ‘impressed’ if they sided with the protesters.

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Political Headlines – Johnson warns Conservatives face ‘extinction’ if they don’t deliver Brexit

June 5, 2019/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s political headlines includes a warning from Johnson that the Conservatives face ‘extinction’ if they don’t deliver Brexit, Trump says NHS could be part of future trade deal and Tories change leadership election rules.

Johnson warns Conservatives face ‘extinction’ if they don’t deliver Brexit
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson told a leadership hustings that the Conservative Party was facing ‘extinction’ if Brexit doesn’t happen by 31 October, adding that ‘delay means defeat’. The Times adds that Johnson has secured the support of three moderate ‘rising stars’, Rishi Sunak, Robert Jenrick and Oliver Dowden, who say that he is a ‘One Nation’ Conservative who can ‘inspire the country and revitalise our party’.

Trump says NHS could be part of future trade deal
The Daily Mirror says that Donald Trump yesterday claimed that ‘everything is on the table’ when asked if the NHS would be part of a ‘phenomenal’ future UK-USA trade deal. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that ‘our NHS is not for sale’, while a number of Conservative leadership contenders weighted in to reject the idea, including Matt Hancock and Dominic Raab. The paper adds that Trump has now rowed back on these remarks, telling Piers Morgan on ITV that he doesn’t ‘see if being on the table’ and ‘that’s not trade’.

Tories change leadership election rules
The Times reports that the Conservative Party has changed the rules of its leadership contest in order to reduce the number of contenders. Candidates will now need eight MPs to nominate them, and will be eliminated if they get 5% or fewer votes in the first round or 10% of fewer votes in the second round, with the ‘working assumption’ being that the new leader will be announced on 23 July. Ahead of the changes being announced, Kit Malthouse and James Cleverly pulled out of the competition.

Over half of Change UK’s MPs quit party
The Guardian reports that six of Change UK’s eleven MPs, including spokesman Chuka Umunna and interim leader Heidi Allen have quit the party, with Anna Soubry becoming the new leader. The departing MPs will initially sit as a group of independents, but some are believed to be considering defecting to the Liberal Democrats.

Baker to unveil hard Brexit plan
The Sun claims that Steve Baker is to unveil a plan for a ‘hard Brexit’, backed by 16 fellow Conservative MPs, and will call on leadership candidates to back it. If they fail to do so, he is expected to say that he will stand. Another candidate claimed that Baker ‘is setting the bar too high purposely, so he can run himself’ but allies claimed that he had yet to decide.

Gauke goes ahead with plan to axe short prison sentences
The Daily Telegraph reports that Justice Secretary David Gauke is to go ahead with plans to abolish prison sentences of less than six months, promising to bring forward ‘firm’ proposals by the summer, although violent and sexual offences would have some exceptions. He added that there would be ‘robust’ measures to stop re-offending and protect the public.

Leadsom promises monthly phone-ins if she becomes PM
The Daily Telegraph has interviewed Andrea Leadsom, who promises that she would host a monthly phone-in should she become Prime Minister, saying that she would be ‘more accessible’, both to the public and to backbenchers. She also attacks Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, claiming that by resigning from the Cabinet they ‘made Brexit harder’

Hancock says UK needs home-grown rival to Huawei
According to The Sun, Matt Hancock will today use a speech on foreign policy to say the UK should develop ‘a British champion’ to replace Huawei, claiming that the country cannot follow the lead of the US and ban the Chinese firm until there is a ‘viable replacement’.

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Daddy Blog Spotlight: Nigel Higgins, DIY Daddy

June 5, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Nigel Higgins is the brains behind DIY Daddy, recently included in our Top 10 UK Daddy Blogs. DIY Daddy combines Nigel’s years of experience in decorating and DIY with tips and advice on parenting as he brings up 5 kids.

We caught up with Nigel to talk about what makes the perfect father’s day, how the role of dad is changing and the best collaborations he’s worked on.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
This is a great question! Whenever somebody asks me what I do for a living I either say I’m a blogger or an influencer. It definitely gets a varied selection of responses from people, but they mainly ask what that means, followed by asking what my blog is called. Trying to explain to somebody who has no idea what a blog is can be difficult. I usually resort to saying that I write a website and then they appear to understand. When you try to explain that you review products or work with large brands most people instantly think you just get lots of freebies which of course you don’t, you have to work for it.

How do social channels work with your blog – are any more important than others?
Social channels are where you promote your latest blog post and there is no doubt I use them extensively to promote my blog. There is no point in writing something and hoping people will read it without some sort of promotion.

I think they all have a place and are important. Over the years I have seen the popularity change dramatically between social media channels. Without question Instagram is definitely the most popular social media channel at the moment, I probably use that more than the others. While they may be flavour of the day at the moment, but not so long ago Twitter was the one, so I’m sure something will come along and knock Instagram off its perch at some point.

What’s the perfect father’s day?
The perfect father’s day for me is having all my children around me, even if it’s only for a couple of hours. The icing on the cake would be to have Sunday lunch all together.

How much does father’s day affect your content?
Leading up to father’s day I am offered many opportunities to collaborate with brands so there will always be more blog and social posts relating to father’s day, but I always try to be careful that there are not too many father’s day posts and that I also continue with my normal posts.

How is the role of dad changing in society?
The role of dad in society has changed dramatically over the years. We now see so many more dads becoming the main carer for their children and the reason for this is that mums could be continuing with their careers, or they could be the higher earner. This of course means that dads will become the main carer. I think it’s great that dads are more involved with their children’s lives. It is a positive move to have dads as a major influence on their kid’s lives daily. In my opinion, society has finally realised that dads having family time is vital for their children. It’s early days but it’s moving in the right direction.

What’s the best balance between visual and written content?
I have always considered written content to be the most important. That’s probably because it was what I started out as. Of course, blogging has changed and evolved, and part of your content has to be visual. I write approximately 5 blog posts a week, but nowadays I include a number of Instagram posts with a photo per week.

Video has become a large part of my content this year and I usually do a couple of IGTV videos a week.

Do you accept press releases?
I will accept press releases if they are relevant to the theme of my blog, otherwise I generally don’t accept them.

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
The most incredible part of blogging for me has been the incredible opportunities that it has given us as a family and there have been plenty of them. I will always try to collaborate with people that fit in around our family and our family values.

I have to say that possibly the best collaboration that I have done is literally just the weekend gone. We were invited to Bluestone National Park by Persil UK for a weekend of adventure and fun to celebrate their ‘Dirt Is Good’ campaign. It was all about getting outdoors and just getting muddy and enjoying ourselves as a family. It involved a nature trail, cooking marshmallows on an open fire etc and it was just a magical moment being outdoors as a family. The PR team and Persil looked after us brilliantly and made it an awesome weekend.

What advice would you give to PRs/brands reaching out to you?
I get a lot of enquiries from PR’s and many I will just skim read and delete. You may ask why and it’s really simple; they aren’t saying exactly what they want.

If you are a PR or a brand I would like to know exactly what you want, and if a fee is involved what deliverables do you want from me. That way I can then make an informed decision if we are suited for a collaboration.

Thankfully most of the PRs and brands I deal with are very up front from the beginning about what they want from me.

What other blogs do you read?
John Adams who writes Dad Blog UK. I have always read John’s blog. It is always fresh and very interesting.

Tayla who writes Motherhood: The Real Deal. I was on the radio with Tayla this year and we instantly hit off, I started reading her blog and just love her insightful look into parenting.

Finally, I have always, and always will, read my wife Emily’s blog, Twin Mummy and Daddy. I love her incredibly positive outlook on life, and her writing is always so engaging.

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