Media outlets - job cuts and closures

Journalism job cuts and closure of publications

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BuzzFeed, HuffPost, The Pool, and Vice are just some of the outlets that have announced cuts and closures over the last couple of weeks, with thousands of media jobs already cut in 2019.

Across the UK, US, and Australia, BuzzFeed has cut editorial roles and closed BuzzFeed Spain entirely. In London, almost half of editorial roles have been cut, down 17 from an original 37. Roles being sliced are primarily across the Buzz team, but also the news and celeb teams. BuzzFeed has also made its head of quizzes redundant because free user-generated content is proving more popular.

The Guardian reported: ‘BuzzFeed founder and chief executive, Jonah Peretti, said the company would reduce headcount by 15 percent, or about 250 jobs, to around 1,100 employees globally.’

 

 

In the US, Verizon, owner of HuffPost, Yahoo and AOL, has reportedly announced cuts for up to 1,000 staff. This would trim seven percent from its media team across all brands. Verizon began by laying off 20 employees at HuffPost on 23 January, including opinion writers and political reporters.

CNET reported that in a memo to staff, Guru Gowrappan, CEO of Verizon Media said: ‘These were difficult decisions, and we will ensure that our colleagues are treated with respect and fairness, and given the support they need.’

Next was Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the US, cutting around two percent of its workforce. Poynter reported on cuts that affected editors and senior journalists at local papers owned by Gannett in regions across the US. The New York Post reports that cuts affected as many as 400 people.

Last week, women-focused online magazine, The Pool shared the news of its closure on Friday, after almost four years.

 

 

Also on Friday, Vice Media announced cuts across the US, UK and Canada, laying off 10% of staff following reorganisation from new CEO Nancy Dubuc.

Business Insider reported: ‘Vice Media will reportedly refocus around its TV production unit, its international news team, it’s digital properties, and its original TV content.’

Press Gazette editor Freddy Mayhew said: ‘There seems to be no end in sight to redundancies at online publications.

‘If the likes of The Pool, Buzzfeed and HuffPost can’t make digital journalism pay when they’re the experts, who purely publish online with no print offering, then the industry truly is in crisis.’

 

As journalists move on to new roles and freelance careers, all changes and updates are made in the Vuelio Media Database.

Theresa May Brexit

Political Headlines – Brexiteers reject EU concessions and May’s speech in Northern Ireland

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Today’s political headlines include Brexiteers rejecting EU concessions, May to deliver speech in Northern Ireland, Clark criticised over Nissan offer and Labour MPs pass motion criticising party’s handling of antisemitism. 

Brexiteers reject EU concession
The Times says that Brexiteers have rejected an offer from the Secretary-General of the European Commission, Martin Selmayr, who offered to give Theresa May a legally binding assurance that the backstop would not result in a permanent customs union between the UK and the EU during a meeting he held with the Commons Exiting the EU Committee. Brexiteer members of the committee, including Andrea Jenkyns and John Whittingdale reportedly rejected the idea.

May to deliver speech in Northern Ireland
The BBC reports that Theresa May will give a speech in Northern Ireland today, telling business leaders that she wants a Brexit deal which ‘commands broad support’ and ‘honours commitments to Northern Ireland’. However, the DUP leader Arlene Foster has called for the ‘toxic backstop’ to be removed.

Clark criticised over Nissan offer
According to The Daily Telegraph, Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Greg Clark is facing criticism after an October 2016 letter in which he promised Nissan £80m to build two new models in Sunderland was published. He had previously claimed that there was ‘no chequebook’ involved in the firm’s decision. He said yesterday that Nissan’s decision not to build the X-Trail in Sunderland after all was a ‘warning sign’ about a no-deal Brexit.

Labour MPs pass motion criticising party’s handling of antisemitism allegations
The Guardian says that Labour’s General Secretary Jennie Formby was criticised at a meeting of the party’s MPs, who suggested that she had been slow to tackle antisemitism in the party. They unanimously passed a motion warning that this failure ‘risks antisemitism in the party appearing normalised and the party seeming to be institutionally antisemitic’.

Trimble to challenge Brexit deal in court
The Daily Telegraph reveals that Lord Trimble is planning to challenge Theresa May’s Brexit deal because he believes that it undermines the Good Friday Agreement, setting up a crowdfunding page to fund the legal action, which he expects to launch either this week or next week.

Flint will vote for ‘reasonable’ Brexit deal
Writing in The Sun, Labour MP Caroline Flint says she will vote for any ‘reasonable’ Brexit deal the Government agrees, so long as it commits to workers’ rights and environmental protections, denying her vote had been ‘bought’ and refusing to ‘apologise for demanding a Rebuilding Britain fund’ to provide ‘a new deal for our small towns after Brexit.’

EU imports won’t be checked in a no-deal Brexit
The Financial Times reports that HMRC has announced that goods being shipped from the EU to the UK will not be checked at ports for a limited period after a no-deal Brexit in a bid to reduce gridlock. Importers will be able to make a full declaration about their imported goods until after the border has been crossed.

EU to blame for no-deal Brexit, Grayling says
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has claimed that if a no-deal Brexit happened, it would be the result of the EU’s being unwilling ‘to work with us to find common ground’ and that Article 50 would not be delayed. He also claimed that Nissan’s X-Trail decision ‘has much more to do with the diesel car market than Brexit’.

When it comes to political intelligence, don’t get left behind Vuelio Political Services.

Emma Leech, CIPR president

New women-led CIPR board announced

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The CIPR has announced its Institute’s Board of Directors for 2019, with all three honorary officer positions held by women.

A first in the 70-year history of the CIPR, the president and two vice president roles are all occupied by women.

The line-up includes president Emma Leech, director of marketing and advancement at Loughborough University; vice president Jenni Field, director at Redefining Communications; and vice president Sarah Hall, managing director at Sarah Hall Consulting.

Elected members include:

Co-opted members include:

  • Shirley Collyer, director, Lansons
  • Ronke Lawal, PR and communications consultant, Ariatu Public Relations
  • Avril Lee, deputy global healthcare practice chair, Burson-Marsteller

Emma Leech, CIPR president said: ‘Our 2019 board is a powerhouse of talent, experience and perspectives. We are committed to the CIPR’s 3-year strategic plan and look forward to engaging with and representing professionals from all areas of our thriving industry.’

Nissan

Political Headlines – ministers consider withholding Nissan’s £60m package

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Today’s political headlines include ministers considering withholding £60m from Nissan, Truss says women should be less ‘squeamish’ about money making, Government intervention called for over cost of cystic fibrosis drug and Government sets up group of MPs to find backstop alternative. 

Ministers considering withholding £60m package from Nissan
According to The Times, the Government is considering withdrawing a £60m support package from Nissan, after it reversed its promise to build the next generation of its X-Trail SUV in Sunderland, giving the Government less than 24-hours’ notice. Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark said that while ‘no jobs will be lost’, the development was a ‘blow to the sector and the region’.

Women should be less ‘squeamish’ about money making, Truss says
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss has told The Daily Telegraph that women should be less ‘squeamish’ about making money, claiming that female entrepreneurs often find a money-making focus ‘vulgar’ but that they should instead ‘celebrate’ profits. The Treasury is to release a report today showing that female start-up founders are missing out on investment.

Government intervention called for over cost of cystic fibrosis drug
In an exclusive, The Guardian says that campaigners are calling on the Government to intervene over the cost of the drug Orkambi which tackles the cost of cystic fibrosis. Negotiations between the NHS and the manufacturers have been in ‘stalemate’ since July. They’d like the Government to set aside the drug’s patent in the national interest.

Government sets up group of MPs to find backstop alternative
The BBC reports that the Government has established an Alternative Arrangements Working Group made up of leave and remain MPs to try and find a way of avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, after the ‘Malthouse Compromise’ plan gained what the Government called ‘significant support’. The group of MPs will have regular meetings with Stephen Barclay, the Brexit Secretary, and senior civil servants.

Johnson claims early election may be ‘scare tactic’
Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson claims that preparation for a snap election may be a ‘scare tactic’ designed to encourage Tory MPs to back Theresa May’s Brexit deal. He described the idea of an election this year as ‘lunacy’ because the ‘big questions’ about Brexit still haven’t been answered. Yesterday, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that voters ‘would never forgive us’ if an early election was called.

Centrist Labour MPs plot split
The Times claims at a group of centrist Labour MPs are discussing leaving the party to create their own centrist political group, although a member of the group told the paper that though a split would be inevitable, it would not happen soon as ‘we’re all looking to the next set of Commons Brexit votes at the moment’.

Hancock to meet Instagram boss
The Daily Telegraph reports that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock is to meet the worldwide Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, on Thursday, to tell him to enforce the service’s ban on under-13s creating profiles, and to use Instagram’s experience in removing terrorist-related content to remove suicide and self-harm content.

NHS to use smart meters to track dementia patients
The Daily Mail says that the NHS is to use energy smart meters to track dementia patients at home, flagging up sudden changes of routine which might indicate that they need help and alerting relatives or carers. Privacy campaigners have raised concerns about the meters, but a trial is due to begin in Liverpool later this year.

Don’t leave your political intelligence to chance, get Vuelio Political Services.

Edelman trust barometer 2019

What does the Edelman Trust Barometer teach us about strategic PR?

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The 2019 Edelmen Trust Barometer reveals that while the UK public trusts every institution more than it did a year ago, generally we’re still a distrusting nation.

Across the six major institutions the report tracks – NGOs, business, government, media, the EU and the United Nations – only the United Nations enjoys a majority (60%) of the population’s trust, while the rest are considered to be distrusted. The institution at the bottom of this list is the media, which is trusted by just 37% of the population.

While institutions aren’t trusted, the Barometer suggests individuals are, and across the world there’s a growing trust in experts – whether it’s a company’s technical experts or academics with professional expertise.

This a huge opportunity for PR and comms, who have access to in-house specialists they can direct to both the public and the media, as  journalists are increasingly looking for expert voices to lend authority to their content. The best media and the best PRs are already collaborating in this way, but public demand means it’s no longer just a smart strategy, it’s now a requirement.

The ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service, which was recently acquired by Vuelio, gives journalists the opportunity to request experts directly from leading PRs, further validating the role that communications plays in providing access to trusted, knowledgeable sources of information.

The Trust Barometer is full of PR opportunities for the savvy practitioner. Within its results, the report reveals a huge rise in the number of people engaging with and amplifying news, which effectively means the market for information is growing and PRs are arguably best placed to fuel it.

Any information PRs provide should, of course, be trustworthy as the public is wary of fake news; 73% now worry that it will be used as a weapon in society.

If you can position your brand, business or client as a trusted authority, and have the evidence to prove it, you will increase your PR opportunities and ultimately improve your reputation.

What did you take away from the Trust Barometer? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

Boris Johnson no 10

Prime Minister Boris Johnson – the first 28 days

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With Parliament back after summer recess and the threat of a general election now a likely option to break the Brexit deadlock, there’s never been a more important time to understand the political landscape and what it means for organisations across the UK. What can public affairs and external communications professionals learn from the first 28 days of Boris Johnson’s premiership?

The current prime minister’s ambitions for his Government have been revealed in a number of policy announcements he’s made since taking office, all of which received media scrutiny from traditional and online sources. In this briefing, Vuelio highlights key observations that provide essential insight into where he may face opposition progressing his agenda and where the battlegrounds lie, if, or when, a general election is called.

Download the analysis here. 

 

 

PRCA

Richard Nichols of Instinctif Partners joins PRCA board

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Richard Nichols, Deputy Chairman of Instinctif Partners, has been appointed to the Board of Management of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA).

Nichols recently took over the role of Deputy Chairman of Instinctif Partners, having been CEO for twelve years between 2006 and 2018.

Instinctif Partners was PRWeek’s International Agency of the Year in 2017 and 2018, PRWeek’s ‘Best Place to Work’ in 2018 and the Holmes Report’s EMEA Corporate Consultancy of the Year in 2017.

The PRCA Board of Management was created to ensure that the body is always operating in a way that puts its members and the industry first.

Nichols joins the board alongside Ketchum’s Jo-ann Robertson, Golin’s Bibi Hilton, and Edelman’s Ed Williams, among many others.

Nichols said: ‘I am naturally delighted to be joining the Board of Management and to be working alongside industry peers as the PRCA celebrates its 50th anniversary, and to be playing a role as part of the PRCA championing best practice as our industry continues to grow and evolve.’

Francis Ingham, PRCA Director General, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Richard to the PRCA’s Board of Management. He brings to the table a wealth of experience of working in international business communications consultancy, and I look forward to working alongside him in this the PRCA’s 50th year.’

Photo of Cardiff University building

Transforming public affairs at Cardiff University

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Building, developing and keeping track of corporate relationships with different stakeholders is a challenge often faced by anyone working in public affairs. Whether you’re faced with losing vital information when an individual leaves or lacking a central place to log every interaction, the small issues can build into a bigger headache.

Ed Bridges, public affairs manager at Cardiff University, told us about the challenges faced in his team and how Vuelio has ‘transformed and professionalised’ the University’s approach to public affairs.

Find out more about our public affairs services

Cardiff University

The challenge

While the University has historically had good relationships with our political stakeholders, the management of those contacts had at times been haphazard. Valuable contacts were sometimes lost when individuals left the University, key interactions were often not recorded, and it was sometimes hard to evaluate the level of interest/take-up from stakeholders in our work. Previous attempts at using a database to manage these contacts hadn’t worked, primarily because we had tried to tag Public Affairs onto databases which were more appropriate for sales or marketing.

The solution

After looking around for an appropriate solution, it quickly became apparent to us that Vuelio was not only the best database for our needs, but would significantly enhance the work of the team. We were particularly impressed by the level of information available on the Vuelio Database about our stakeholders. This has allowed us to do things like identifying groups of politicians interested in particular areas of our research and target briefings to them.

The database also had as much data for political stakeholders at a devolved level as it did for those in Westminster – something which, for us, was a key requirement. We have also been consistently impressed by the level of technical support we have received from Vuelio, which is allowing us to get the most out of the system.

Benefits and results

In the four months we’ve been using Vuelio, we have been able to track how many and which stakeholders have been opening and reading our briefings, and tailor/improve them accordingly. We have also been able to put steps in place to ensure that interactions with key stakeholders are properly recorded so there is a lasting record of who has met with the University (and, just as importantly, so we can identify who hasn’t).

Are you ready to transform your public affairs strategy? Fill in this form and we’ll be in touch.

Moving businesses

Political Headlines – one in three businesses planning to relocate because of Brexit

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Today’s political headlines include businesses planning to relocate because of Brexit, the Government’s plans to fund deprived communities, Javid believes Brexit delay is likely and MPs tell MoD to scale back spending. 

One in three British businesses planning relocation because of Brexit
The Guardian carries the finding of a survey by the Institute of Directors which finds that almost one in three British businesses is planning to relocate some operations abroad in order to cope with a hard Brexit. 29% of firms said that they had either done so already or were planning to, mostly to the EU. Edwin Morgan, the IoD’s Director General said ‘we can no more ignore the real consequences of delay and confusion’.

Government plans fund for deprived communities in attempt to win Brexit support
The Sun reports that Theresa May is planning a ‘National Renewal’ fund to invest in deprived areas such as coastal resorts and former mining communities, as well as new legislation on workers’ rights. The constituencies of a dozen Labour MPs who voted with the Government on Tuesday are set to benefit, with Labour MP David Lammy saying that colleagues who accepted the funding were ‘cowards and facilitators’ on whom ‘history will be brutal’.

Javid believes Brexit delay is likely as MPs’ February recess is cancelled
According to The Daily Telegraph, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has warned a Cabinet colleague that Brexit is likely to be delayed as there is not enough time to pass necessary legislation, with the paper claiming that up to nine Cabinet ministers believe this. As The Times reports, yesterday it was announced that Parliament’s February recess was to be cancelled, although the Government chief whip said that MPs who had made plans could still take the week off, with permission. The Guardian adds that EU officials are worried that a no-deal Brexit may happen at the end of June because Theresa May won’t ask for a long enough extension in an attempt to placate Brexiteers.

MPs tell MoD to ‘scale back’ spending
The Financial Times reports that the Commons Public Affairs Committee has called on the Ministry of Defence to ‘stop, delay and scale back’ parts of its plans in order to deal with a gap of up to £15bn in its equipment plan for the next decade. Despite promises made last year, a new report concludes that ‘little progress’ has been made.

Schools to lose background checks on EU teachers in no-deal Brexit
In an exclusive, The Sun says schools will lose access to an EU database of banned teachers in a no-deal Brexit scenario, with officials saying schools will receive guidance on what to do ‘shortly’. Other issues include foreign qualifications no longer being recognised, with Commons Education Committee Chair Robert Halfon saying he was ‘incredibly alarmed’.

Gauke defends legal aid for Jack Shepherd
The Daily Telegraph has been told by Justice Secretary David Gauke that denying Jack Shepherd, convicted of manslaughter over the death of Charlotte Brown during a trip on his speedboat on a date, legal aid for his appeal because he has fled the country might set a precedent which would lead to trials not being able to be held in absentia, leading to ‘victims or the families of the victims’ losing out.

Schools told to be ‘flexible’ about post-Brexit meals, while Unilever stockpiles Magnums
The Guardian reports that the Government has told schools to be ‘flexible;’ about school dinner standards in the event of post-Brexit food shortages. The Daily Mirror adds that Unilever has announced that it is stockpiling ice creams made in the EU, such as Magnums and Ben and Jerry’s, in case of a no-deal Brexit.

Pressure to axe business rates intensifies
According to the Financial Times, the Government is being put under increased pressure from MPs to scrap the business rate system in an attempt to stop high streets from further declining. The Commons Treasury Committee has launched an inquiry on the effect of recent changes to the system and the benefits of alternative taxes, such as one on land value.

Don’t leave your political intelligence to chance, get Vuelio Political Services.

Facebook market research

Facebook’s market research app accused of spying

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An Apple and Android app called ‘Facebook Research’ paid users, including teens, to provide access to the content they access on their phones.

Facebook is in the news once again for its use of data. Working through the Facebook Research app, the company has been paying participants for access to the content on their devices.

The app allowed Facebook to access the majority of a user’s device, including:

  • Private messages in chat apps including photos and videos
  • Emails
  • Web browsing activity
  • Logs of what apps were installed, and when they were used
  • A location history of where the owner had physically been
  • Data usage

Aimed at getting research from 13-35 year olds, the app has since been removed from Apple, however is still available on Android.

A spokesperson from Apple told TechCrunch that Facebook has been using their membership to distribute a data-collecting app to consumers, which is a clear breach of their agreement with Apple.

Fortune said: ‘What was particularly eye-catching about TechCrunch’s report was the fact that the $20 monthly reward was on offer to users between the ages of 13 and 35, meaning Facebook has been paying teens to monitor their phone usage.’

A spokesperson for Facebook told the BBC: ‘It wasn’t ‘spying’ as all of the people who signed up to participate went through a clear on-boarding process asking for their permission and were paid to participate.
‘Finally, less than 5% of the people who chose to participate in this market research program were teens. All of them with signed parental consent forms.’

The Verge reported: ‘The Research app requires that users install a custom root certificate, giving Facebook the ability to see users’ private messages, emails, web searches, and browsing activity. That’s in apparent violation of Apple’s system-level functionality, which is intended to grant employers access to employees’ work devices. The policy prohibits developers from installing the certificates on customers’ phones.’

The Independent highlighted that participants were told not to share their involvement with others: ‘Users were recruited through sign-up pages that make clear the data is being collected to improve Facebook’s services and that they should not tell people about the project.’

Although the app was well labelled, the secrecy behind the project and the violation of Apple’s terms mean that Facebook is facing scrutiny once again for the way it uses data and conducts research.

Michel Barnier press conference

Political Headlines – Barnier rejects backstop renegotiation and knife crime measures criticised

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Today’s political headlines include Barnier’s rejection of a backstop renegotiation, May and Corbyn’s talk, Sajid Javid’s knife crime measure criticised and May prepares to woo Labour MPs with cash. 

Barnier says the backstop is here to stay
The BBC reports on remarks by Michel Barnier where he says that the Irish backstop cannot be renegotiated. The EU’s chief negotiator was speaking in the European Parliament where he suggested that there are no other realistic solutions to the issue. These remarks came after the House of Commons voted to get the Prime Minister to seek another arrangement. The story reports that both Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker echoed the remarks of Barnier.

May and Corbyn has ‘serious and engaged’ talk on a possible customs union
The Guardian reports on a discussion between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn where they discussed Brexit. The outcome of the meeting is that both Number 10 and Labour are disagreeing on whether May would be willing to soften her opposition to a customs union with the EU after Brexit. The Labour leader met May after MPs voted against a no-deal scenario, this is something Corbyn had previously refused to rule out. The two are expected to meet again with the next few days.

Sajid Javid’s measures to tackle knife crime criticised
The Mirror report on criticism from bereaved parents and anti-knife crime campaigners directed at the Home Secretary’s measures to try to tackle knife crime. Some of the measures picked up on is limiting the use of social media of suspects, curfews and geographical restrictions. Campaigners want the Government to stop intervening and allow the police to enforce the law under the current laws, one of the other major criticisms is the legislation will not solve anything if communities are not worked with. Javid has an article in the Telegraph where he states his own concerns with his own children when they are on a night out.

May prepares to offer Labour MPs cash injection to Leave constituencies
The Times are reporting that Theresa May is planning to win round Labour MPs by offering investment in Leave-backing areas of the country. May is hoping to secure the backing of 20 Labour MPs in the next vote on the withdrawal agreement, with discussions taking place directly between Number 10 and MPs including John Mann and Kevin Barron, without the involvement of Jeremy Corbyn.

Tom Watson v Tony the Tiger
The Sun report on remarks made by Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson at the  Advertising Association conference where he took aim at cereals and how they encourage a sugary diet. Watson said food adverts should encourage people to go to work on an egg not obesity inducing cereal. Watson called for companies to take action and remove characters from their packaging and pledged that if advertisers take these steps he will be their biggest advocate when Labour is next in power.

Wright urges social media companies to more to tackle harmful content
Writing in The Daily Telegraph ahead of a speech today, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright has told social media giants that they must do more to address the promotion of harmful online content, threatening sanctions against those who do not address the issue. Wright will outline the Government’s approach ahead of a White Paper, which will further detail the responsibilities of social media companies.

People scared to speak about Christian persecution says Jeremy Hunt
As reported by The Sun, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that people are scared to speak up on the persecution of Christians as they fear they could be linked to “misguided imperialism”.  This comes after his department launched a review of Britain’s support for persecuted Christians. At the launch of the review he said 80% of religious persecution around the globe is against Christians, he also said that this is not about protecting Christians but fighting all religious persecution.

PM’s Europe Adviser warned the PM against renegotiating with Brussels
The Telegraph reports that Oliver Robbins told Theresa May this week that her plan to renegotiate her own Brexit deal was not going to work. He allegedly raised concerns over the so-called Malthouse-compromise to secure changes to the Northern Ireland backstop.

Not sure how the backstop negotiations affect you? Find out with Vuelio Political Services.

Faya Nilsson - Fitness on Toast

Fitness blog spotlight: Fitness on Toast

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Faya Nilsson created Fitness on Toast in 2013 to share great recipes and advice with her personal training clients. The site has since evolved into a one-stop shop for everything fitness, from active escapes to fashion and tech. Accompanied by beautiful imagery, Faya uses her knowledge and expertise to inform readers about how to stay fit and happy throughout the year.

We spoke to Faya after she was named in the Top 10 Fitness & Exercise blogs to find out what she likes best about working with brands, why an 80/20 split helps to keep on top of fitness, and the importance of Instagram for immediate feedback.

What are your plans for the blog this year?
I’m working as a PT daily which I love alongside creating blog content. I’m looking forward to doing some active travel for the blog – including Mauritius in March. I’m also working on a few bigger exciting projects which I hope to talk about and have ready for summer.

How important is the new year to your content?
Working in the fitness industry, you observe these seasonal trends – ‘new year, new you’ being one of them. I don’t subscribe to the January frenzy; instead I believe healthy is a lifestyle choice all year round. Having said that I do like the idea of new beginnings, marking a point in time and re-setting, checking in with yourself and for that reason it’s a conversation I like to be participating in, albeit with a slightly different perspective.

What advice would you give people who want to stay fit and healthy all year?
I personally go by the 80/20 rule. Be healthy, eat well, train well, sleep well – 80% of the time and 20 percent of the time you can be ‘unhealthy’, socialise with friends in less healthy restaurants, go for a cocktail or dessert. This is realistic, sustainable in the long term and you’ll enjoy training more – it should be fun and varied. If you go 100% all-in chances are you’ll feel deprived and you may come to resent all that ‘healthy’ represents.

The added advantage of 80/20 is that you’ll never need to panic ahead of a beach holiday or a hike you want to sign up to (or whatever it may be); you’re in a good place already, and with a bit more of a push, you’re good to go!

This, in practice, means being consistent throughout the year – training on a regular basis, moving on a daily basis, eating well, drinking plenty of water, and investing in your sleep.

What’s the best activity to get into if you’re new to fitness?
If you’re completely new to fitness I would suggest trying a few different things as the only way you’ll ever stick to something is if you enjoy it. There are countless fitness studios and classes to try these days – the world really is a veritable fitness oyster!

I’m a huge fan of weight training – it builds strength, increases metabolism at rest (meaning you’re burning more calories throughout the day), to name but a few benefits. However, if it’s your first time in the gym I’d suggest booking in a couple of sessions with a trainer. The last thing you want to do is train incorrectly. It can be quite pricey but perhaps see if you have a couple of friends who are in a similar situation and you can train in a group and that way decreasing the overall cost per person.

Generally speaking, people who decide to get into training as a New Years resolution go too hard too quickly. Be realistic – if like me, you love chocolate, then the likelihood is ZERO that you’ll one day wake up and decide never to have chocolate again, and stick to it. Equally, if you haven’t trained for years gradually get back into it. You’ll do your body more harm than good by not allowing it to properly recover between sessions.

Faya Nilsson - Fitness on Toast

How much exercise should we be doing each week?
This is highly individual – it depends on a bunch of things – what your starting point is, your preferences, your routine, what you’re doing etc. Recovery is super important so as a general rule of thumb if (for example) you’ve trained your legs on a Monday and on Tuesday you have DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) wait until it’s passed and you’re ready to train legs again.

How important are your social channels compared with your blog?
I love writing quite lengthy in-depth posts and always end up chopping away a lot. Equally I love photography so for that reason personally the blog has always been my favourite platform. What I like about Instagram though is how it’s so instant. You get immediate feedback as to whether people appreciate a post or not.

What are the best PR campaigns you’ve collaborated on?
I’ve been blogging for six years so it’s quite a list of fun and varied brands but all under the health umbrella in some capacity. One of my stand out favourite campaigns was going to the Olympics with Adidas as their global ambassador. I also loved working to create the Westin Hotel Group’s signature Wellness programs as their Wellbeing ambassador as well as Garnier to name but a varied selection of great long-term partnerships. The commonality is the professionalism and ambition of the activations, which weren’t one-off in nature but were connected as part of a longer-term brand storyline. Anything that focuses on the awareness part of the consumer funnel is very much a favourite of mine as you can get quite creative and broad that way, as a blogger!

Do you accept press releases?
Yes, they’re always welcome in my inbox. Press awareness is another part of the ‘shadow purchase funnel’ so even if I just skim the mail, it’s good to have unconsciously paid attention to it. In order to preserve the integrity of my blog, however, I only ever write reviews (and that sort of thing) if I’ve tried tested and love the product myself. So, for that reason I don’t accept guest posts or product placement messages.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I’m remarkably easy to work with and I love mucking in alongside PR agencies to get a great result!

What other blogs do you read?
The Blonde Salad, A Blog To Watch, Sheerluxe blog, The Food Effect, AJ Odudu’s blog.

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Conservative party

Political Headlines – new Tory Brexit compromise in Brexit latest

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Today’s political headlines include the new Tory Brexit plan, Corbyn yet to confirm Labour support for Cooper’s amendment, food firms warning of no-deal disruption and EU negotiators warning of the high risk of no-deal. 

New Tory Brexit compromise plan emerges
The Times reports that Conservative Brexiteers have refused to back a Government-supported amendment to today’s Brexit motion calling for the Irish backstop to be replaced with ‘alternative arrangements’. However, a new plan, called the ‘Malthouse Compromise’ after MP Kit Malthouse, has emerged following negotiations between the European Research Group and supporters of May’s deal, which would extend the transition period and replace the backstop with a ‘safety net’ allowing trade on WTO terms with no tariffs should a future relationship not be agreed. The paper notes that this proposal is ‘unlikely to be accepted by the EU’.

Corbyn yet to confirm Labour support for Cooper amendment
The Guardian reports that Jeremy Corbyn has yet to confirm if Labour will officially support Yvette Cooper’s amendment which aims to rule-out a no-deal Brexit. While several Labour MPs say they’ve been told that the party will back the plan, concerns have been raised about the policy by shadow ministers including Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Jon Trickett, who’d prefer a shorter extension to Article 50, and party chair Ian Lavery.

Food firms warn of no-deal disruption
The Mirror carries details of a warning from food retailers including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and McDonald’s which warns of ‘significant disruption’ to food supply chains in a no-deal Brexit scenario. The letter to MPs also warns that it is ‘impossible to stockpile fresh produce’ and that space to stockpile other products is running out.

EU negotiator warns that there’s a ‘very high’ risk of no-deal
The Guardian says that Sabine Weyand, the EU’s deputy chief Brexit negotiator, has warned that there is a ‘very high’ risk of a no-deal Brexit, explaining that a ‘stable majority’ for the deal is needed in Parliament, but it was difficult to see how a ‘positive majority’ could be found, and that negotiations between the bloc and the UK were ‘finished’.

Javid unveils no-deal Brexit immigration plan
The Daily Telegraph reports that Home Secretary Sajid Javid has announced that EU citizens who arrive in the UK after 29 March in the event of a no-deal Brexit will have to apply for visas to stay in the UK in order to obtain temporary leave to remain, entitling them to stay for three years before applying through the new immigration system which begins in 2021.

Labour in U-turn over Immigration Bill
The Guardian says that Labour ‘was forced into an embarrassing U-turn’ yesterday after the party initially said that it wouldn’t oppose the Immigration Bill, which ends free movement after Brexit. However, following an online backlash it announced that it would vote against the bill, rather than abstain, although a number of MPs missed the vote, which the Government won comfortably.

UK would have to elect MEPs if Brexit delayed
The Times claims that it has been told by ‘senior Brussels sources’ that the UK would have to hold EU elections this spring if the Commons were to vote to delay Brexit by nine months. Otherwise, legal advice suggests that all EU decisions would be vulnerable to challenge.

MPs vote for proxy-voting trial
The BBC reports that last night MPs voted unanimously in favour of introducing a year-long trial of proxy-voting for MPs who are on parental leave, which is expected to be in place in time for this evening’s Brexit votes. An amendment to the trial by Philip Davies allowing MPs who’ve suffered a miscarriage to benefit was also passed without opposition.

Are you ready for the results of today’s votes? Vuelio Political Services is.

Creative Shootout 2019

Waste-watchers, ‘skinfluencers’ and plastic-free warriors at The Creative Shootout 2019

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The Creative Shootout last week announced its 2019 winner – Wire PR.

Described as ‘The Apprentice’ meets ‘The Great British Bake Off’, The Creative Shootout is like no event. Nine of the most vibrant and creative agencies go head-to-head, competing to work for this years’ charity, A Plastic Planet.

A Plastic Planet (APP) has a single goal: to dramatically reduce the use of plastic in food and drink packaging. With a focus on empowering the consumer, A Plastic Planet wants people to choose plastic-free with the Plastic Free™ Consumer trust mark clearly displayed on the packaging.

The brief was simple: increase the number of brands and businesses applying for the trust mark to 1,500 applications in 2019, targeting big FMCG companies such as Nestlé, Mondelez and Unilever to drive change globally.

The teams were presented with the brief at lunchtime and had just four hours to put together a creative, compelling and effective pitch. The challenge was met with inspirational ideas, with no two pitches the same.

From making tea plastic-free to joining forces with Comic Relief by creating a plastic-free Red Nose, the agencies found inventive ways to increase awareness of A Plastic Planet and its trust mark. The campaigns pitched varied over the evening and included multi-channel ideas for Plastic-toc from Stein IAS, showing how time is limited to fight the war on plastic to waging an actual war on plastic, with plastic-free warrior parachuting into cities to spread their anti-plastic propaganda from Brands2Life.

Embracing the power of social and influencers was a theme throughout all of the pitches. Ready10’s ‘skinfluencers’ encourage consumers to ditch the plastic-packaging on fruit and veg and Raw London said goodbye to pre-prepared food empowering the customer to be #freetochoose with a campaign centred on activism.

Proving that an idea can be simple and effective, 72 Point created a waste-watchers app and 3 Monkeys Zeno created a plastic-free point loyalty card.

But there could only be one winner – Wire PR. Tapping into the impact of plastic on your own personal health, its campaign encouraged consumers to take the plastic-free health check to see if they would test ‘plastic-positive’ and contact their local supermarket’s CEO in two easy clicks, petitioning them to remove plastic. Wire’s campaign won the judges over with its engaging ideas and ability to go multi-national.

Wire will run the winning campaign with APP in Spring 2019, using a native advertising campaign from Outbrain, a broadcast campaign led by markettiers and support from A Plastic Planet’s existing comms agencies.

Vuelio are proud to sponsor The Creative Shootout and celebrate the incredibly creative minds in our industry. Well done to everyone who took part and congratulations to Wire PR!

Fyre Festival

5 PR lessons from the Fyre Festival

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The Fyre Festival, the botched attempt to run the most luxurious and Instafriendly festival ever, was already famous thanks to several viral posts highlighting failings at the time in April 2017. 

However, two documentaries, on Netflix and Hulu, have shed new light on the fiasco and brought the event back into the spotlight. The documentaries have also inadvertently provided simple lessons (the good, the bad and the ugly) for anyone working in PR and comms.

1. Influencer marketing works – but needs strategy
How do you make an event super famous? Get the most famous people on Instagram to promote it for you. Fyre Festival had a simple plan, pay a fortune to social media influencers – from Bella Hadid to Kendall Jenner – to promote the event and create a ‘big buzz’.

As evidenced in the documentaries, the budgeting was way off and the cost of the influencers unsustainable, but to make matters worse, the promotion wasn’t clearly labelled by many of the influencers, and the wording suggested all the stars would be in attendance, potentially misleading the audience of ticket buyers. After the event, the rules around disclosure tightened in the US as a result of this lack of clarity.

Yes, influencer marketing works, but it needs to have a clear strategy, be affordable and be ethical.

2. Communication, communication, communication
Seems like a given in a PR post but if the documentaries taught us anything, it was how important it is to have good comms. There were a number of occasions communications let down the event – at the beginning, middle and end – but perhaps one of the most obvious, particularly highlighted in Netflix’s documentary, was when they failed to alert guests to the fact that the festival was not going to take place.

This is crisis management 101 – be transparent and honest before things get worse. The lack of communication led to a number of guests arriving and sharing the chaos (and cheese sandwiches) on social media. It also led to a number of them becoming stranded and was when the story became the viral sensation it didn’t want to be.

3. Never lose sight of the purpose of an event
How many people knew Fyre Festival was intended to promote a celebrity booking app? The event became the company’s sole focus to the detriment of the app it was intending to promote.

Sometimes publicity can seem like the greatest goal but if no one knows what you’re publicising, a great stunt is a spectacle and nothing more.

4. Make sure you’re consistent
The event filmed a glamorous promo promising an experience on an island that wasn’t the one used for the actual event. From start to finish you have to be consistent with your message and if circumstances change outside of your control, then communicate them professionally and clearly – see point 2.

5. Big campaigns need an integrated strategy
It’s hard to say if traditional media outreach was part of the Fyre Festival PR plan but there’s little evidence of it in the documentaries. That means when the only news about the event was from the disgruntled guests on social media, knee deep in mayhem, there was no official channel of communication and the press could only report the news they were presented with: basic cheese sandwiches and soaking wet mattresses.

Big campaigns, the kind of campaigns that intend to support the greatest festival event ever, need to be fully integrated and consider every type of media, relationship and channel.

Did you spot any PR lessons in the Fyre Festival documentary? Let us know on Twitter. 

Want to create integrated campaigns, work with influencers in the right way and manage all of your relationships in one place? You need Vuelio.

Brexit flag

Political Headlines – May’s fortnight, Irish warnings and Philip May’s pivotal role

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Today’s political headlines include the May’s fortnight to pass deal, warnings from Irish Foreign Minister, Philip May’s pivotal role and the extremely valuable amendment. 

Pro-European ministers give May a fortnight to pass deal
The Daily Telegraph says that a dozen pro-European Government ministers held a phone call last night in which they decided that Theresa May had a fortnight to secure her deal with the EU and hold a second meaningful vote, abandoning a possible rebellion to support Yvette Cooper’s amendment ruling out a no-deal Brexit. The Times adds that Conservative MPs who voted for May’s deal are preparing to push for a softer Brexit if Cooper’s amendment passes tomorrow, and that Downing Street is ‘desperate’ to stop it from doing so.

Irish minister warns that the backstop ‘isn’t going to change’
The Guardian claims that Theresa May has suffered a ‘blow’ after the Irish Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, warned that the backstop ‘isn’t going to change’, was only in the Brexit agreement because of red lines set by the UK, and was expanded to cover the whole of the UK at the request of the British government.

May’s husband plays ‘pivotal role’ in Brexit strategy
The Daily Telegraph reveals that Philip May, the Prime Minister’s husband, has assumed a ‘pivotal role’ in a disagreement between those, such as Gavin Barwell and David Lidington, who want to build a consensus with Labour, and others include Julian Smith, Brandon Lewis and Robbie Gibb who have warned that if May does not gain the support of Brexiteers and the DUP she may destroy her party, with her husband backing the latter faction.

Hancock describes Irish backstop amendment as ‘extremely valuable’
According to The Times, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has described the work done by those backing an amendment tabled by Sir Graham Brady calling for the Northern Ireland backstop to be replaced by ‘alternative arrangements’ as ‘extremely valuable. The paper says this is ‘the clearest indication yet’ that Downing Street is backing the amendment, but Government sources fear the Speaker won’t select it to be voted on.

May secretly rules-out a no-deal Brexit
In an exclusive, The Sun claims that Theresa May has told Cabinet ministers that she won’t pursue a no-deal Brexit, but cannot yet say so publicly because it would weaken her hand in negotiations with the EU. A senior Tory told the paper that the Prime Minister is ‘terrified’ of job losses resulting from such a scenario.

Hancock pressures social media firms to tackle harmful content
The Financial Times says that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has ‘stepped up the pressure’ on social media firms to tackle content which may encourage self-harm and suicide, saying that the Government could ‘legislate if we need to’, although ‘it would be far better to do it in concert’ with the companies.

Senior Tories back attempt to end indefinite detention of immigrants
The Guardian reports that Harriet Harman has secured the backing of senior Conservatives such as David Davis for an amendment to the Immigration Bill which would stop people from being indefinitely held in immigration detention centres. Harman said that the support meant that she was ‘very confident’ that the Home Office would accept her amendment.

Government to offer teachers cash in effort to solve shortage
The BBC says that Government is publishing new plans today in an attempt to increase teacher retention and solve the teacher shortage in England. The plans will offer some young teachers payments of £5000 in their third and fifth years teaching, more support for training and a reduced teaching timetable.

What will May’s deal look like? Keep up with the latest with Vuelio Political Services.

Queen elizabeth

Political Headlines – Queen calls on people to seek out the common ground

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Today’s political headlines include the Queen’s call on people to seek out the common ground, Ministers speak out against no-deal Brexit, EU split over no-deal legislation and Gov to announce new food-labelling plans. 

Queen in call to seek ‘common ground’
The Times reports that the Queen used a speech yesterday to call on people to ‘seek out the common ground’ and not to lose ‘sight of the bigger picture’, in remarks interpreted as a reference to the Brexit debate. The paper adds that other royals are expected to make similar interventions ‘in the coming days’.

Ministers speak out against no-deal Brexit
According to The Daily Telegraph, yesterday ‘Remain ministers went to war’ by raising their concerns about a no-deal Brexit. Business minister Richard Harrington warned that it would be ‘a disaster for business’, while Chancellor Philip Hammond used a speech at Davos to warn that a no-deal Brexit would be a ‘betrayal’ of the Brexit vote. Appearing on Newsnight Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd refused to rule out resigning in order to vote for Yvette Cooper’s amendment blocking a no-deal Brexit four times.

EU split over no-deal legislation
The BBC says that some EU countries are calling for the EU’s no-deal legislation to be made more generous, for example by giving UK hauliers the right to operate within the EU and allowing UK airlines to fly connecting flights within the bloc. However, the French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told the BBC that his country’s ‘clear red line’ was that the UK could not get ‘the benefits of the single market’.

Gove to announce new food-labelling plans
The Daily Mail says that Michael Gove is to announce new plans to force food retailers to list all ingredients in their products, in response to the death of a 15-year-old girl after eating a Pret A Manger baguette which contained sesame seeds. Various options are being consulted on, ranging from listing all ingredients in their products (which the paper believes Gove backs) to insisting on labels reminding consumers to ask staff about allergens.

Government considers extending protection from redundancy for new mothers
The Guardian reports that the Government is launching a consultation on extending protection against redundancy for pregnant or new mothers so that it would continue for six months after they’ve given birth. The consultation will also consider extending the protection to those returning from adoption or shared parental leave.

Universities criticised over unconditional offers
The Sun says that universities have been warned by the Office for Students that if they continue to make unconditional offers which stipulate that students must make them their ‘firm choice’, they could be breaching consumer law. Education Secretary Damian Hinds said that the increase in unconditional offers is ‘disturbing’.

Salmond charged with attempted rape
The BBC reports that the former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond appeared in court yesterday. He has been charged on 14 counts – two of attempted rape, nine of sexual assault, two of indecent assault and one of breach of the peace. He said ‘I refute absolutely these allegations of criminality’.

Conservatives struggle to raise funds
The Financial Times claims that the Conservatives are struggling to attract money from large donors, with one former minister warning that the party is ‘facing emerging financial difficulties’. The paper claims that there are two sets of ‘disgruntled donors’: Brexiteers who oppose Theresa May’s Brexit plan and the network of businesses built up by David Cameron.

What is the common ground? Keep on top of the Brexit latest with Vuelio Political Services.

A and R Factory, Stefan Toren

Music blog spotlight: A&R Factory

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A&R Factory was launched in 2012 by Stefan Toren and has grown to become one of the most respected artist and repertoire (A&R) blogs. With a hugely influential readership made up of record labels and radio stations, A&R Factory is the place to come to discover new music and sign the hottest acts. Alongside new artists, A&R Factory has interviews and reviews spanning all genres of music, from R&B to Punk. We spoke to Stefan to find out the plans for the blog this year, who’s going to be hot this year and how brands can get involved.

What are your plans for the blog in 2019?
We have big plans for 2019 including working and growing or sync music platform launching later in the year which will help musicians gain exposure through TV/film/game placements.

How is music changing and does this affect your content?
Music is ever growing with technology, our writers need to stay ahead of the curve to ensure we are posting relevant hit content!

Who’s your favourite band/artist?
Always a hard one to answer, recently we have been more into hip hop action, Bronson, L’Orange to name a few, but we have also recently shown a lot of love to Blossoms, BLOXX and Lion.

Who’s going to be hot in 2019?
So many artists are doing well right we featured Ari B on our website some time ago who has just signed a deal. And of course, the amazing Yebba who we featured back in 2017 this will be a big year for her.

Do you play any instruments?
Drums, guitar, bass and GarageBand.

What’s the best song ever?
One Direction – Best Song Ever, but more seriously, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

How do you work with PRs/brands on content?
Typically we work with influencers and build relationships with PR agencies to share content.

What one thing should they know before contacting you?
Submit via our website here, it is the best way to ensure we get the tracks to the right journalists that work for us.

Do you accept press releases?
Yes, you can submit them on our website

What other blogs do you read?
Music Business Worldwide is our go-to blog at the moment!

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

Celebrities to disclose ads blog post

Celebrities pledge to disclose ads

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Following an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), 16 celebrities including Ellie Goulding and Rita Ora have agreed to make it clear when they have received gifts or payment to endorse products online.

The CMA, alongside the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), is responsible for enforcing laws for sponsored posts. The ASA deals with complaints over individual adverts, while the CMA takes action on the people involved.

Other celebrities that have committed to declaring ads are:

  • Actress Michelle Keegan
  • Writer and model Alexa Chung
  • Designer and model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
  • Vlogger Zoella
  • Mario Falcone from The Only Way Is Essex
  • Alexandra ‘Binky’ Felstead from Made In Chelsea
  • Holly Hagan from Geordie Shore
  • Model Iskra Lawrence
  • Camilla ‘Milly’ Macintosh from Made In Chelsea
  • Reality TV personality Megan McKenna
  • Chloe Sims from The Only Way Is Essex
  • Louise Thompson from Made In Chelsea
  • Fashion vlogger Jim Chapman
  • Fashion blogger Dina Torkia

The CMA has not mentioned whether the named celebrities have breached the law, but following an investigation they have all volunteered to be more transparent with their social media sponsorship.

By agreeing to be clearer when posting ads, the stars have avoided court action, however the CMA says its investigation is still in progress.

Andrea Coscelli, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: ‘Influencers can have a huge impact on what their fans decide to buy. People could, quite rightly, feel misled if what they thought was a recommendation from someone they admired turns out to be a marketing ploy.

‘You should be able to tell as soon as you look at a post if there is some form of payment or reward involved, so you can decide whether something is really worth spending your hard-earned money on.

‘The enforcement action taken by the CMA has seen a number of social media stars pledge to be more transparent when posting online. It also sends a clear message to all influencers, brands and businesses that they must be open and clear with their followers. We will also continue our work to secure more improvement in this space.’

Many influencers, bloggers and content creators have seen celebrities posting sponsored content without following CMA guidelines and are left wondering how they get away with not following the rules that the rest of the community must stick to.

John Adams, writer of fatherhood and parenting blog Dadbloguk.com said: ‘For some time now, there has been quite a bit of discussion among content creators. Many of us know the rules regarding sponsored content and adhere to them, but have had to watch from the sidelines as various celebrities have either posted undeclared, sponsored content or used unclear language. It has felt like there have been two systems in place: One for the celebrities and one for the rest of us.

‘I welcome the CMA’s actions. I think it’s sent a very clear message that content creators are being monitored and enforcement action is a real possibility. I hope it leads to us all playing on a level field and an improvement in standards all round.’

Setting clear industry standards and ensuring audiences are able to trust content creators is one of the reasons Deb Sharratt of DebSharratt Communications and My Boys Club welcomes the cut down on undisclosed ads. Deb said: ‘I’m really pleased to see best practice in influencer PR and marketing being promoted and actively encouraged by the CMA. As a CIPR member, PR professional and a blogger, it is important to me that our audiences can trust our views, believe us to be authentic and know they can count on the industry to let them know when payment or payment in kind has encouraged online support and endorsement for a brand.

‘It can only benefit the future of influencer marketing and hopefully encourage other influencers to always fully disclose too.’

Anne-Marie Lacey, managing director of Filament PR, a creative communications agency specialising in influencer marketing campaigns while training its clients to work ethically and effectively with social media stars, said: ‘The news from the CMA today is most certainly welcome and not before time. We applaud these celebrities for agreeing to change the way they disclose paid-for content with brands across their channels. Often, breaking the rules isn’t done on purpose, it’s because brands, bloggers and PR practitioners don’t know the guidelines themselves, and better education is needed for all.

‘The fact is, influencers have masses of clout over consumers, and without clear and concise legal and ethical guidelines in place, that everyone is following in a bid to be transparent and not potentially mis-sell to an online audience – that includes brands, bloggers and PRs – then we aren’t going to see an effective change any time soon.

‘That said, this is certainly a step in the right direction, and we’ll be watching the findings of the CMA’s ongoing investigations with great interest.’

If you’re looking to work with the right influencers in the right way, you need the Vuelio Influencer Database.

 

Prime minister

Political Headlines – Brexit latest

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Today’s political headlines include May discussing Brexit plans with union leaders, Barnier’s warning that no-deal is still the default, Minister meet secretly to stop no-deal and Dutch in effort to lure British companies. 

May to discuss Brexit plan with union leaders
The BBC says that Theresa May is to meet the leaders of Unison, the TUC, Unite and the GMB in an attempt to discuss her Brexit plan today. Yesterday she met the leaders of the devolved administrations, but Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, said that there ‘wasn’t much indication that the Prime Minister is listening’ while Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford claimed that May ‘repeated many of her red lines’.

Barnier warns that no-deal Brexit is still the ‘default’
The Guardian reports that Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has warned that Yvette Cooper’s plan to stop a no-deal Brexit will fail as this was the ‘default’ unless there was ‘a positive majority for another solution’. The paper adds that Labour ‘looks set’ to whip its MPs to support Cooper’s amendment in order to rule out a no-deal scenario.

Ministers meet secretly to stop no-deal Brexit
The Daily Telegraph reveals that almost 20 ministers, including five Cabinet members, have been holding secret meetings to discuss preventing a no-deal Brexit. One member refers to the group as the ‘hair-shirt club’. Those attending include Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd, Greg Clarke, David Gauke and Claire Perry, as well as business minister Richard Harrington, who told the paper that his ‘clear objective is to stop the nonsense of a hard Brexit.’

Dutch in effort to lure British companies after Brexit
According to The Times, the Dutch investment agency has announced that it is talks with over 250 British companies about relocating to the Netherlands after Brexit. The country has tax-breaks for newly arrived workers and foreign banks who relocated could avoid a cap on bonuses. The Financial Times reports that Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders has used a video to warn people not to ‘listen to the Brexiteers’ madness which asserts that, because we have huge plants here, we will not move and we will always be here. They are wrong’.

Rees-Mogg suggests Queen should shut down Parliament
The Sun reports that Jacob Rees-Mogg has called on Theresa May to ask the Queen to progue Parliament if MPs vote to prevent a no-deal Brexit, although he claimed that he wanted to avoid a ‘constitutional crisis’. He confirmed that he could not vote for the deal ‘as long as the backstop is there’. Tory MP Nick Boles accused Rees-Mogg of a ‘coup’.

Corbyn attacks Government over Davos attendance
The Guardian says that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has accused the Government of wasting time at a ‘billionaire’s jamboree’ after it emerged that a quarter of the Cabinet are attending the World Economic Forum at Davos this week. In its defence, Downing Street said that the event was ‘an opportunity to discuss investment opportunities into the UK’.

Hancock unveils plan to tackle antibiotic resistant infections
The Times reports that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock will use today’s launch of a 20-year plan to fight antibiotic resistant infections to announce that the NHS will pay companies up front for producing an effective new drug, in a commitment which could cost the public purse millions of pounds. Hancock said that this would make firms ‘more likely to invest the more than a billion dollars it costs to bring a new drug to market’.

JCB hires Davis for £3,000 an hour
The Mirror reports that JCB has employed former Brexit Secretary David Davis as an advisor, paying him £60,000 for 20 hours work. The Labour MP Ian Murray said this was ‘an absolute insult to the people of the UK who have been left facing deeper austerity and increased living costs as a result of the calamitous Brexit he campaigned for and still supports.’

Want to keep up to date with Brexit? Or maybe all the other political news affecting you every day? You need Vuelio Political Services.