behind a fence

Political Headlines – Russian poisoning, Raab and Barnier, Johnson and Hammond

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Today’s Political Headlines include world leaders joining UK to condemn Russia, Raab infuriating Barnier, Johnson splits with his wife and Hammond’s cuts to fund a no-deal Brexit. 

World leaders join with UK to condemn Russia over nerve agent attack
The Times reports that US, German, French and Canadian leaders have expressed ‘full confidence’ in the UK’s assessment that Russian agents carried out the Salisbury nerve agent attack. Security officials told the paper that the novichok used in the attack could have killed up to 4,000 people and was discarded in a ‘reckless’ manner. Russia has accused the UK of ‘anti-Russian hysteria’ and the UK is preparing for a Russian-sponsored disinformation campaign.

Raab’s Northern Ireland threat left Barnier ‘furious’
The Daily Telegraph claims that Dominic Raab threatened Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, that the EU would have to order the Irish government to instate the border with Northern Ireland, leaving him ‘absolutely furious’. It also says that progress on outstanding issues has been ‘close to zero’. The Guardian adds that Ireland is hoping to agree a side deal which would allow it to continue to use the UK as a ‘land bridge’ for goods bound for the country without the need for border checks.

Johnson splits with wife in blow to leadership ambitions
The Sun reveals that Boris Johnson has split with his wife, Marina, who accused him of cheating on her again. The paper claims that this new revelation is ‘likely to deal a fresh blow’ to the former Foreign Secretary’s hopes of becoming party leader as it is likely to put off grassroots members with ‘traditional views on marriage’.

Chancellor warns of spending cuts to fund no-deal Brexit
The Financial Times claims that Chancellor Philip Hammond has ‘irritated Downing Street’, after he warned that there might be spending cuts in order to fund a no-deal Brexit, telling ministers that they would have to find savings within their budgets to fund the costs of long-term disruption. Separately, Treasury minister John Glen was pictured carrying a document about the Government’s contingency planning (codenamed ‘Operation Yellowhammer’) which warned of financial instability and the need to ‘maintain confidence’.

Blair says that he’s ‘not sure’ that moderates can regain control of Labour
Speaking to the BBC’s Nick Robinson, Tony Blair said that he is ‘not sure it is possible’ for moderates to regain control of the Labour Party from the left. He said that there had been ‘a profound change’ under Corbyn, resulting in ‘a different type of Labour Party’, and that he thought that something would emerge to fill the ‘vacuum’ between the two main parties.

Treasury axes tax cut for self-employed
The Financial Times reports that Chancellor Philip Hammond has abandoned plans to cut Class 2 National Insurance contributions, a measure which would gave delivered a tax cut for millions of self-employed people. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell described the move as ‘yet another betrayal of the self-employed’.

Cable proposes new Lib Dem supporters scheme
The Guardian says that Sir Vince Cable is to propose a range of measures to reform the Liberal Democrats, including a new scheme for supporters who will be able to vote for the party leader without paying in order to make the party a Momentum-style ‘movement for moderates’. He is also expected to talk about his future as leader in today’s speech.

Bradley admits not knowing that Northern Ireland votes on sectarian lines
The Daily Mail reports that Karen Bradley, the Northern Ireland Secretary, has admitted that she did not know that ‘people who are nationalists don’t vote for unionist parties and vice-versa’. The paper adds that she has announced a pay cut for members of the Northern Irish Assembly because of the powersharing stalemate.

Can’t keep up with national and international politics? Vuelio Political Services can help.  

Vuelio

The Blogger Ballot is OPEN

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The Blogger Ballot for this year’s Vuelio Blog Awards is now OPEN. 

The Vuelio Blog Awards are back! Now in their fourth year, the Vuelio Blog Awards are the biggest celebration of bloggers in the UK (possibly the world!). Hundreds of bloggers come together for a night of fine food, top entertainment and partying till you can party no more! Taking place on 30 November at the Bloomsbury Big Top in London, top bloggers will win the industry’s most respected accolades across a wide range of categories and topics.

The Blogger Ballot is the only place for content creators, from bloggers and vloggers to Instagrammers and YouTubers, to enter for a chance to get free tickets to the most incredible night of the year.

Enter the Blogger Ballot here

There is always such a huge demand for complimentary tickets from bloggers and, unfortunately, we just don’t have room for everyone. The Blogger Ballot will be drawn randomly, but you have to be in it to win it.

AND, for the first time in 2018, we’re giving you the chance to bring a friend! We know bloggers want to come together, so you can now apply for a plus one ticket.

If you’re free on 30 November, between 7pm and midnight and are a content creator of the highest order, enter the Blogger Ballot today.

Good Luck!

Please note: the venue’s rules mean only over 18s can attend.

cyberwar

Political Headlines – Cyberwar, Brexit and the NHS

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s cyberwar with Russia, Barnier told MPs the Chequers plan was dead, new Brexit proposals from Eurosceptic Tories and Hancock to improve dangerous NHS IT systems. 

May orders cyberwar after accusing Russian spies of carrying out Salisbury attack
The Times reports that Theresa May has ordered a cyberwar against Russian spying operations, having yesterday accused two of the country’s agents of carrying out the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. She promised to do ‘whatever is necessary to keep our people safe’ and revealed that the operation was ‘almost certainly’ approved at a senior level in the Russian state.

Barnier told MPs Chequers plan was ‘dead’
The Guardian reports that Stephen Kinnock has revealed that EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier told British MPs that Theresa May’s Chequers plan for Brexit was ‘dead’ earlier this week. The paper also says that Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, has confirmed that Labour would vote against a Canadian-style EU-UK free trade deal, which is apparently now favoured by David Davis, Boris Johnson and Barnier.

Eurosceptic Tories plan to release their own Brexit proposals
The BBC says that the Eurosceptic European Research Group of Tory MPs is to make several days’ worth of announcements from Sunday onwards making the case for a free trade agreement with the EU, covering topics including money, migration, the Irish border, agriculture and fishing, with a major event expected to be held in Westminster on Monday.

Hancock promises to improve ‘dangerous’ NHS IT systems
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that NHS IT systems are ‘downright dangerous’. He promises to ‘bring the NHS into the 21st century’ and to deal with the issue that different systems in use are not compatible. Today he will announce a £200m fund to develop cross-NHS systems and confirm that the new NHS app will begin testing in five parts of the country by the end of the month.

New agricultural workers scheme to be tested
The Financial Times reports that the Government is to test a new scheme for non-EU agricultural workers next year, similar to the old seasonal workers scheme which ran from 1945 to 2013, in a bid to assuage concerns. Growers have warned that labour shortages after Brexit could lead to crops being left to rot.

Government agrees to consider making misogyny a hate crime
The Guardian reports that the Government has announced a comprehensive review of hate crime legislation, including whether to consider misogyny as a hate crime. Labour MP Stella Creasy had tabled an amendment on misogyny to the Voyeurism Bill but withdrew it after the fully-funded review was promised.

Marriage age could increase to 18
The Times claims that the Government could increase the minimum age for marriage to 18 following an investigation by the paper into forced relationships. Equalities minister Baroness Williams of Trafford has agreed to look into the point, while backbench Conservative Pauline Latham has introduced a private members’ bill to make the change.

Grayling seeks to reach aviation agreements with other EU countries
The Daily Mail says that the Government is trying to reach agreements on aviation with the 27 individual EU countries in order to keep planes flying if a no-deal Brexit happens. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is to write to his counterparts across the EU, bypassing the European Commission.

Is the return of Parliament overwhelming you? Let Vuelio Political Services make it simple.  

Jeremy Corbyn

Political Headlines – Labour adopts the antisemitism and views on Brexit

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Today’s Political Headlines include Labour adopting the antisemitism definition in full, Mervyn King attacking Brexit preparations, Raab promising the UK will not ‘roll over’ and Welby calling for reform of unjust economy. 

Labour adopts antisemitism definition in full, rejecting Corbyn statement
The Times reports that Labour’s National Executive Committee has adopted the IHRA’s antisemitism definition in full, rejecting a statement by Jeremy Corbyn on criticisms of Israel which he believes would still be permitted and replacing it with a shorter statement on freedom of speech on Israel and Palestine. The Metropolitan Police has said that it will investigate possible hate crimes by Labour members contained in a leaked dossier.

Mervyn King describes Brexit preparations as ‘incompetent’
Interviewed by the BBC, Mervyn King, the former Governor of the Bank of England, has described the Government’s preparations for Brexit as ‘incompetent’. While King backed Brexit, he claimed that last-minute preparations for no-deal were undermining the UK’s negotiating position and predicted that the UK would end up with Brexit in name only.

UK will not ‘roll over’ in negotiations, Raab says
The Guardian reports that Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab told MPs yesterday that the UK would not ‘roll over’ when the EU criticised it, refusing to abandon the Government’s Chequers proposals in favour of a Canada-style free trade agreement. However, The Daily Telegraph claims that Michel Barnier, the bloc’s chief negotiator warned the Commons Exiting the EU Committee that the plan was ‘not acceptable’ and proposed an alternative, Canada-style deal, similar to that advocated by Boris Johnson.

Welby calls for reform of ‘unjust’ economy
Speaking to the BBC to mark the launch of a new report by the Commission on Economic Justice, Archbishop Justin Welby has said that the economy is ‘unjust’ and called for a new regulator for large technology firms which handle data, and for the minimum wage to rise. The commission, established by the Institute for Public Policy Research, also recommends higher wages for those on zero-hours contracts and increasing corporation tax.

Chair of Commons standards watchdog resigns
The Times says that the chair of the Commons Standards and Privileges Committees Sir Kevin Barron has resigned and accused Parliament of making a ‘sacrifice of transparency’ after it banned the identification of MPs who were being investigated. He said that he was ‘proud of the changes made to the code of conduct’ during his eight years in office.

May prepares to abandon three-year tenancy plans
The Sun claims that Theresa May and Philip Hammond are to abandon plans to make three-year tenancies mandatory. The Treasury is worried that the measure will stop investment in property development, while Theresa May’s team fear that rebel backbenchers would torpedo the plans in the House of Commons.

Cabinet argues over calorie count plans
The Daily Telegraph reveals that a cabinet row has erupted over plans to display calorie counts on all restaurant menus, due to be announced by the Government shortly. The Treasury has warned that the proposal is ‘burdensome’ for small businesses, with Chief Secretary Liz Truss writing to the Department of Health and Social Care to accuse it of underestimating its impact on them.

Carney to stay as Bank of England Governor until 2020
The Financial Times reports that Mark Carney is expected to remain Governor of the Bank of England until 2020 in a plan endorsed by Theresa May in order to maintain stability during Brexit. His new departure date is expected to be announced by the Chancellor Philip Hammond, whose proposal it was to retain him, in the next week.

Can’t keep up with the latest party infighting? Make it easy with Vuelio Political Services.  

PRCA

PR and communications industry believe Bell Pottinger expulsion had positive impact

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One year on from the PRCA’s expulsion of Bell Pottinger, the association has revealed that a majority of the PR and communications industry believe that the expulsion had a positive impact on the reputation and ethics of the industry.

On 5 September 2017, the PRCA announced that Bell Pottinger’s membership was terminated, the most serious sanction the PRCA could impose. This move followed a complaint from the Democratic Alliance, which led to an investigation into the agency’s work for Oakbay Capital in South Africa.

The PRCA asked the industry what impact, if any, the decision has had on the reputation of our industry and profession; 63% of the PRCA Members agreed the expulsion had a positive impact.

Only 16% said that it has had little impact, while 14% thought it had no impact at all.

A further question, asking what impact the decision had on the importance practitioners place on ethical practice, revealed that 63% thought it had a positive impact.

Ethics is undoubtedly on the agenda across the PR and comms industry, evidenced by the recent ethics code agreed by global PR associations, and more broadly in the application of AI in the sector.

Francis Ingham MPRCA, Director General, PRCA, said: ‘Last year’s PRCA decision to expel Bell Pottinger was a defining moment for the industry. In taking the decisive action we did, we made clear that the industry expects and enforces the highest of standards. A year on, we can see that the reputation of the industry, and the value it places on ethical practice, have both been raised. There is more to be done, but the last year has been one of progress and change for the better.’

Just Do it

Nike, Kaepernick and reputation

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Nike has launched a new campaign, celebrating 30 years of ‘Just do it’. While some of the stars in the campaign, such as Serena Williams, are unsurprising, the inclusion of Colin Kaepernick has sparked huge conversation, and in some cases backlash, online. The campaign asks a bigger question of all communications professionals: how much should you be pushing your business or clients to make political stands and talk about the issues that matter to the public?

Colin Kaepernick is famous for being the first NFL star to kneel during the national anthem, exercising his first amendment right to free speech to protest police brutality against African Americans. His protest angered many in the US, including President Trump, but other players followed suit and the issue continues to divide the nation.

As reported by the BBC, Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since last year and is suing the league, arguing that team owners have deliberately frozen him out because of his activism.

The Nike campaign has caused a backlash from some online, with the general protest against Nike’s advert being to burn or destroy Nike clothing owned by the protester:

Many others have pointed out that this form of protest is particularly illogical as it is actually protesting someone’s right to protest:

It’s also burning clothing you’ve already paid for and explicitly making Nike true to their campaign words; Nike believes in something – even if it means sacrificing everything (or some customers).

The Nike campaign arrives on the same day as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)’s new research tracking public attitudes towards business.

The Everyone’s business tracker: Public attitudes report reveals 92% of the public want businesses to speak out on key issues impacting society. The report suggests that in UK, an increased focus on gender pay reporting, GDPR and Brexit has encouraged businesses to speak more openly about the challenges they face.

The CIPR has welcomed the report, with President Sarah Hall linking the news to Nike’s Kaepernick campaign. She said: ‘There is a clear demand for business to operate with social purpose. Just today we’ve seen Nike launch an advertising campaign with the former NFL player and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick.

‘Public relations professionals have a key role to play in guiding these decisions and encouraging businesses to align their interests with their audiences. We have the opportunity to ensure clients and businesses operate ethically and responsibly with the beneficial outcomes that result in terms of reputation and brand loyalty.’

The research also warns of the impact of high profile failures, which has tarnished the broader reputation of business, with 56% of the public believing the reputation of business is good, down 9% since October. The report suggests the collapse of Carillion and the Cambridge Analytica scandal have had a negative impact on the reputation of business and highlight the need for firms to commit to corporate governance and fulfil their social responsibilities.

 

Ready to fulfil your social responsibility? Or perhaps you just want help managing your reputation? Either way, Vuelio has you covered. Find out more. 

Home sec

Political Headlines – Javid’s stop-and-search, antisemitism, Brexit and students

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Today’s Political Headlines include Javid’s stop-and-search plans, the ongoing antisemitism issues in the Labour party, the Brexit latest and a lack of foreign students. 

Javid plans greater use of stop-and-search powers
The Times says that Sajid Javid is planning to extend the use of stop-and-search powers to cover anyone thought to be carrying acid without good reason, as well as those carrying laser pointers and drones. This would ease restrictions on the use of the powers which were imposed by Theresa May when she was Home Secretary.

Willsman elected to Labours NEC as it prepares to adopt antisemitism definition
The Daily Telegraph reports that Peter Willsman has been elected to Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) by party members, despite having claimed that ‘Trump fanatics’ were ‘making up’ antisemitism allegations. He has said that he will use the post to ‘defend our leader’. Amanda Bowman of the Board of Deputies of British Jews described his election as ‘deeply concerning’. The Guardian adds that the NEC is expected to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism in full, alongside a clarification on free speech when talking about Israel. The Sun has obtained footage of Corbyn praising a meal he had with Hamas.

Voters in marginal constituencies reject Chequers plans, but 2.6m more Britons now back remaining in the EU
The Daily Telegraph reveals a new poll for pro-Brexit group Global Britain by IQR, which finds that most voters in marginal constituencies believe that the Chequers Brexit proposals are ‘bad for Britain’. Meanwhile, The Independent carries a study by Focaldata and YouGov for pro-EU campaigners Best for Britain which shows that 2.6m voters have switched from backing Brexit to wanting to stay in the EU, enough to change the referendum result.

Universities call for foreign students’ right to work to be reinstated
The Financial Times reports that Universities UK has called for the Government to reintroduce the right for foreign students to work in the UK after graduation on a temporary basis in order to help attract international talent. The policy was axed in 2012, but the group believes that it would help to relieve the country’s skills gap.

MPs to vote on making misogyny a hate crime
The Sun reports that MPs are to vote on an amendment tabled by Labour MP Stella Creasy which would make misogyny a hate crime. The amendment has been tabled to the Voyeurism Bill and would make misogyny an aggravating factor in upskirting offences, and she hopes to use it as the first step to making misogyny equal to other offences such as those based on race.

New planning policy to be challenged in courts
The Guardian says that the Government is to be challenged in the courts over its new National Planning Policy Framework. Friends of the Earth believes that the policy was illegally adopted because its environmental impact was not assessed, despite it making it ‘virtually impossible’ for councils to reject fracking proposals.

Budget may be brought forward to next month
The Times claims that the budget could be brought forward to late October in order to avoid a clash with the closing stages of the Brexit negotiations. Another possibility is that it could instead be postponed, perhaps to December. Philip Hammond faces a dilemma as the outcome of negotiations will change the assumptions contained in the budget, but enough notice should be given in order that changes can be implemented in the next financial year.

Sturgeon to set out details of new legislation
The BBC reports that Nicola Sturgeon is to set out her plans for the new year, announcing a dozen new pieces of legislation. The Scottish First Minister’s new proposals are expected to cover areas including mental health, the economy, low-carbon growth and social security.

It’s hard to keep up with every political story that matters to you. Make it easy with Vuelio Political Services.  

BBC Radio 2

Chris Evans leaves Radio 2 for Virgin Radio

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Chris Evans is leaving Radio 2 after 13 years with the station. The presenter of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show is rejoining Virgin Radio, the broadcaster he left in 2001.

Evans announced on his Monday morning show that he is to depart, with his last broadcast for Radio 2 set for December. However, the news was quickly followed by rumour and then confirmation that the star will be joining Virgin Radio.

The Radio 2 Breakfast Show is the most listened to radio show in the UK, with a weekly audience of over nine million. This compares with the Virgin Radio breakfast show’s 413,000 weekly listeners.

Evans is one of the BBC’s highest-paid stars, earning in excess of £1.6m a year, however the Mirror suggests the move will lead to a significant pay increase.

On leaving Radio 2, Evans said: ‘As Sir Terry said before me, there’s never a right time to leave something you love but there might be a wrong time if you hang on too long. I honestly think The Breakfast Show is currently as positive, useful, sunny and inclusive as it has ever been. In fine shape for its next custodian. Whoever that turns out to be, I wish them all the very best, they are in for an absolute blast.’

And on joining Virgin, he said: ‘In many ways Virgin Radio is my spiritual home. I see nothing but exciting and ground-breaking opportunities ahead. In a medium that is changing so quickly on a daily basis, the potential for growth is unprecedented. Our plan is: to give it all we’ve got, see where we can get to and have the most possible fun along the way. It makes me smile every time I think about it.’

His time at Radio 2 has been marked by many highs, not least a peak audience of 9.91m in 2014. Evans has raised millions of pounds for Children in Need with his annual CarFest events and other fundraising activities, and he launched the 500 Words children’s story-writing competition that, this year, received over 130,000 entries.

Lewis Carnie, head of Radio 2, said: ‘Over the past eight years on Breakfast, Chris has built an incredibly close relationship with the Radio 2 audience. I’d like to thank him, on behalf of them all, for becoming their friend via the airwaves. We look forward to launching a brand-new Radio 2 Breakfast Show early in the New Year.’

His first stint at Virgin Radio was tumultuous at times, with a 2001 Telegraph article quoting Evans as saying: ‘It looks like it’s all over – £600 million has come off the share price of the company and they have to blame someone and it looks like it’s me. I haven’t been sacked yet but it looks like it’s going to happen.’

Now Virgin is welcoming him back with open arms. Scott Taunton, CEO of Wireless, which owns Virgin Radio, said: ‘We are beyond thrilled that Chris has chosen to come back to Virgin Radio. He is the biggest name in radio and is synonymous with the brand. He has the most exciting Breakfast Show in the industry and has an energy that captivates audiences.’

Evans is not the first big name BBC Radio star to join a commercial station. Chris Moyles famously departed his Radio 1 Breakfast Show, which had a regular audience in excess of six million, and joined Radio X, where he has a weekly audience of 859,000.

All eyes will be on listening figures to see if Chris Evans has the star power to draw a significant audience or if his replacement at Radio 2 will be able to keep the audience.

Elton John

What PR did on its holidays – 6 inspirational campaigns from the summer

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Summer is over, the Hogwarts Express has departed Platform 93/4 and it’s time to go back to school. But getting back into the swing of things can be daunting after the holidays, and it is often difficult to find the inspiration for an excellent end to the year.

Not everyone was on holiday this summer and many PRs have been truly outstanding while creating brilliant campaigns. We’ve rounded up 6 of the best to give you the inspiration you need to have a killer year.

1. The celebrity campaign – Snickers and Elton John
Snickers has bagged one of the biggest names in pop (ever) as part of its ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry’ campaign. The video features Elton John in a rap battle, singing his own song, until he eats a Snickers and turns back into the rapper he actually is. It’s simple, it’s consistent with the existing campaign and it’s quite funny. The agency is AMV BBDO – check out the video below:

 

2. The reactive campaign – Kit Kat’s proposal
Back in June, Kit Kat inadvertently became the subject of a viral tweet:

Kit Kat – and its agencies Ketchum and Anomoly – got in touch with the boyfriend and together they planned a Kit Kat-themed marriage proposal using a custom-made Kit Kat ring box. Thankfully, #SheSaidYes, and the campaign was completed less than a month after the original tweet:

 

3. The undercover campaign – Will Smith, JUST water and Boots
Will Smith working in Boots. No, really. Will Smith dressed as a Boots employee and promoted his son’s JUST water brand in the Westfield branch. The campaign generated a heap of public attention within the shopping centre and an amazing video.

Boots has partnered with the eco-friendly water brand for its UK rollout and benefitted hugely from the celebrity connection. Obviously, this campaign is easier if your dad is one of the most famous actors on the planet.

 

4. The stunt – NOW TV’s #JurassicJeff
This campaign was fairly basic in its creation and execution but, as is always the way with communications, simple is best. NOW TV placed a giant statue of seductive Jeff Goldblum next to Tower Bridge to celebrate 25 years of Jurassic Park. The oversized model hit social media during a quiet news spell and managed to generate lots of coverage in the mainstream press. Not bad considering NOW TV were just promoting the fact they stream the film:

 

5. The print campaign – Stabilo’s highlighters
Print campaigns sometimes trend on social media for all the wrong reasons, but Stabilo’s ‘Highlight the remarkable’ campaign went viral for all the right ones. The simple campaign displayed historical photos with a yellow highlighter picking out a significant woman from a massive human achievement. The campaign hit all the right buttons, championing amazing women from history who are so often overlooked, while showing the simplicity of its product. The agency was DDB Germany, and the ads can be seen on PR Examples.

 

6. The political statement campaign – Trump balloon
The campaign from 13 July already has its own Wikipedia page. The ‘Donald Trump baby balloon’ was flown above Parliament Square to protest the visit of the American president in the UK. Paid for through crowd-funding (raising £16,000) the six-metre tall Trump blimp (Trimp?) drew a massive amount of attention online and in print, extended by the fact it followed the President to Scotland as he took a rare break to play golf.

The balloon upset many who believed it was disrespectful. A group crowd funded £58,182 to create a Sadiq Khan in a bikini copycat campaign, possibly expecting it not to be approved.  It was and Sadiq Khan even joked about it, so that campaign fell rather flat.

Whether this is now the new ‘floating something down the Thames’, remains to be seen.

 

How are you planning your campaigns? How are you informing the press, measuring your coverage and results, and presenting this to the board? Whether it’s a PR stunt, political campaign or reactive tweet, Vuelio has everything you need on one platform.  

Boris Johnson

Political Headlines – Tory rebels, Labour antisemitism, sex offenders and trade plans

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Tory rebels joining Stand Up 4 Brexit, Labour figures intervening in the antisemitism dispute, Javid tackling online sex offenders and Barnier’s opposition to British trade plans. 

Tory MPs criticise Government’s Brexit plans
The Times says that 20 Conservative MPs, including Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith, have joined the Stand Up 4 Brexit group which opposes Theresa May’s Brexit proposals, while former Brexit Secretary David Davis has also promised to vote against the plans and Remain supporter Nick Boles has voiced opposition to the plans, suggesting a two-stage Brexit with closer initial ties. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson says that the proposals are a ‘victory’ for the EU and a ‘fix’ that will leave ‘the UK lying flat on the canvas’.

Hodge, Brown and Thornberry intervene in antisemitism dispute
The Guardian reports that Margaret Hodge used a speech at the Jewish Labour Movement conference to claim that the party’s antisemitism row would only end if Jeremy Corbyn stepped down, saying that she planned to ‘stand and fight’ in the party. Gordon Brown told the conference that the party needed to ‘unanimously, unequivocally and immediately’ adopt the IHRA antisemitism definition. Speaking to the Financial Times, Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has also backed the use of the definition, claiming that it did not prevent criticism of Israel.

Javid announces new policy to tackle online sex offenders
The Daily Mail says that Home Secretary Sajid Javid is to use a speech today to reveal what it calls ‘the shocking extent of the threat to children from online sex offenders’. He will says that at least 80,000 paedophiles are active online and announce a change in approach to the issue, calling on tech firms to do more and revealing extra funding for investigators.

Barnier ‘strongly opposed’ to British trade plans
The Guardian reports that the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has claimed the he is ‘strongly opposed’ to Theresa May’s Chequers proposals on trade, warning car manufacturers that they would need to use fewer British components. He warned that British plans were ‘not practical’ and ‘an invitation to fraud’.

Just 100 follow Banks’ call to join Tories
According to The Sun, just 100 UKIP supporters have followed Leave.EU founder Arron Banks’ call for them to join the Conservatives so they can vote in the next leadership election. The party tracked referrals from the link in Banks’ email and vetted those who had followed it.

Falklands call on Gove to make sure that ‘no penguin is left behind’ after Brexit
The Daily Telegraph carries a warning from the Falklands trade minister Teslyn Barkman that the islands will lose millions of euros in funding for penguin conservation projects after Brexit. She has called on Michael Gove to make sure that ‘no penguin is left behind’ and to offer more clarity on the UK’s replacement funding programme.

New figures show Brexit department’s high staff turnover
The Independent reports on data obtained by the Liberal Democrats that shows that 357 staff have left the Department for Exiting the European Union in the last two years, despite it only employing 665 people, giving it a staff turnover of over 50%. Lib Dem MP Tom Brake warned that the high turnover made a no-deal Brexit ‘ever more likely’.

HS2 legislation to be delayed by a year
The Times claims that the Government is to delay legislation for HS2’s link to Manchester and Leeds by a year. It claims that this is necessary in order to integrate the project with other upgrades in the region and will not delay it, but the leader of Leeds City Council, Judith Blake, has expressed concern.

Are you up to date with Brexit? If you’re worried you’re missing something, get Vuelio Political Services.  

Acuitas

Acuitas Communications joins the PRCA

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Acuitas Communications has joined the PRCA as its newest members. The finance and corporate communications agency, founded just three years ago, already has offices in Mayfair, Brussels and Mauritius – the only agency with such a global set-up.

Acuitas has built a client base of corporates, private equity, UNHWI and trade associations, with over a dozen blue-chip clients, including multi-office assignments. The agency specialises in corporate, crisis and financial comms as well as public affairs.

Simon Nayyar MPRCA, managing director of Acuitas Communications, said: ‘As a former member of the PRCA’s Board of Management and Chairman of its Public Affairs Committee, I have known the PRCA over many years and have the highest regard for its commitment to professional standards and development.

‘I could not be more thrilled that our own agency, Acuitas Communications, founded three short years ago, is now joining the pantheon of great names who already share in the PRCA’s benefits.’

Francis Ingham MPRCA, director general of the PRCA, said: ‘It’s a great pleasure to welcome Acuitas Communications as the PRCA’s newest Corporate Member. I admire Simon, whom I have known over many years and has held leadership roles in many large PR agencies, which are themselves PRCA members. Acuitas has made extraordinary progress in a short space of time. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have this forward-looking and increasingly successful business join the PRCA’s fold.’

Five Things

Five Things: Trump vs Google, bullying, WPP, Bake Off and May dance

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This week, Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed includes Trump vs Google, three bullying stories, WPP’s new chief exec, the return of Bake Off and Theresa May, dancing queen.

1. Trump vs Google

TrumpThe President of the United States has attacked Google twice this week for ‘bias’. The first time, Trump said the search engine had rigged results to the search ‘Trump news’, so that they were negative against him. He tweeted: ‘96% of results on “Trump News” are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous. Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!’

He also suggested his administration might regulate Google – though this would likely violate the first amendment (free speech).

The second attack came with a tweeted video along with the hashtag #StopTheBias:

The video shows how the Google homepage allegedly linked Obama’s State of the Union address each year on its homepage but stopped when Trump came to power. Google hit back, saying that Trump’s first speech had been to Congress and was therefore not a State of the Union address and also provided evidence that the video was not accurate, as reported by BuzzFeed News.

Trump attacking negative views, opinions and facts against him is nothing new. Trump attacking businesses and companies is nothing new. But the most powerful man in the world attacking the most powerful search engine in the world could change the face of the internet as we know it. Though actually, this will probably go nowhere – with the midterms on the horizon, Trump has bigger fish to fry.

 

2. A trio of bullying

Now MagazineStacey Solomon, Tess Holliday and Kim Woodburn – all three are considered to have been publicly bullied this week.

Stacey Solomon called out Now magazine for its cover, which used tweeted comments to describe her as ‘boring’, ‘desperate’ and ‘cheap’.

Solomon’s response generated huge public support, leading to an apology from the magazine. However, this wasn’t good enough for Solomon, who rejected the magazine’s apology on Loose Women.

In the second bullying story, Kim Woodburn appeared on Loose Women to ‘reconcile’ with Coleen Nolan after the pair fell out on Celebrity Big Brother. With Janet Street Porter playing ‘judge’, the pair argued and Woodburn left the set, leading to over 3,000 complaints of bullying against her to Ofcom.

Finally, Tess Holliday, plus-size model, has appeared on the front cover of Cosmopolitan in what many are calling a huge step forward for body positivity. Tess received a swathe of negative responses, which were widely shared on social media, so Cosmopolitan followed it up with an article titled: ‘Why the feedback to our Tess Holliday shoot proves this is the magazine cover we all needed’.

 

3. WPP to appoint Mark Read as chief executive

WPPThe FT has reported that that WPP is appointing Mark Read, currently co-chief operating officer at WPP, as its new permanent chief executive after deciding against an external appointment. Read has been in charge of WPP since April, when Sir Martin Sorrell resigned. His appointment has not been confirmed by WPP but could come as early as Tuesday when WPP reports its interim results, or later in September.

The FT also reports that Roberto Quarta is expected to move back to a non-executive role, after he became executive chairman following Sorrell’s resignation.

In an April interview, Read said: ‘The key task is to restore growth in the business and that is what we will focus on’, though whether he can stave off competition from Google, Facebook AND Sorrell’s new S4 Capital, while streamlining the unwieldy WPP, remains to be seen.

 

4. Bake Off is back

Bake off

The Great British Bake Off returned on Tuesday with the same judges and hosts, 12 new contestants and overnight viewing figures of 6.1m. Though this is down on last year’s opening of 6.5m viewers, the programme managed to capture 57% of the 16-34 audience, making it the most-watched TV show for this age group in 2018 outside of the World Cup. That means it’s more popular with ‘young adults’ than Love Island.

Full consolidated viewing figures are yet to be released, but as more people now watch TV on demand or via catch-up, it’s very possible the opening show will be more popular than it was in 2017.

In terms of the content, the show stuck to a familiar format, though there was noticeably less innuendo from the days of Mel and Sue.

 

5. Theresa May: Meme-tastic Happy Feet

Prime Minister

Theresa May has been filmed dancing several times this week, while on her whistle stop tour of three African nations. Surprisingly, Twitter redubbed the videos to different music. Enjoy:

You get the idea.

 

Seen something we missed? Let us know on Twitter – unless it’s another version of May dancing. We’ve seen that. We’ve seen a lot of that.

Frank Field

Political Headlines – Frank Field, Poland, Ruth Davidson and Wonga

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Today’s Political Headlines include Frank Field’s resignation, Poland’s Brexit support, Davidson considering a Westminster role and Wonga in administration. 

Frank Field resigns the Labour Whip
The BBC reports that the Labour MP for Birkenhead Frank Field has resigned the Labour whip. Field said that the party is becoming a force for anti-Semitism in British politics and said a culture of intolerance and nastiness exists in local parties. A month ago, Field lost a confidence vote in his local party after voting with the Government in a vote relating to Brexit. Field criticised the Labour leadership in his resignation letter saying they are doing nothing to address anti-Semitism in the party.

Poland offers Brexit support
The Guardian reports that the Government of Poland will make an attempt to persuade the EU to become more open to the UK’s Brexit plans, this comes as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he has not seen any progress on the Chequers proposal from Brussels. The Polish Foreign Minister has said Poland wants to maintain their relationship with the UK after Brexit.

Davidson considering Westminster role
The Sun has revealed that leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, may move south of the border to Westminster, abandoning her role as an MSP to take up a ministerial position. The move is allegedly the first step towards a potential Tory leadership bid, with Davidson moving into Government via a peerage and a place in the House of Lords.

Wonga goes into administration
The Guardian is reporting on the collapse of payday lender Wonga, which went into administration yesterday. The downfall follows a sharp increase in compensation claims against the lender, each of which allegedly cost the company £550 to deal with. The Financial Conduct Authority has told roughly 200,000 customers who still owe over £400m to continue repaying their loans.

Raab heads to Brussels for Brexit talks
The Express looks ahead to Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab preparing for six hours of talks with Michel Barnier. It is expecting issues such as the Irish border to be discussed. This comes after Raab recently admitted that a deal may not be reached by October. The extended session is perhaps an indication of the desire of both sides to come to a deal as soon as possible.

Sturgeon praised for handling of Salmond case
The Guardian are reporting on the support given to SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon from senior SNP politicians, praising her handling of harassment allegations against former First Minister Alex Salmond. Senior SNP figures including Westminster leader Ian Blackford have backed Sturgeon. The move comes after a crowdfunding appeal launched by Salmond reached £90,000, which he said would be used to cover his legal fees for taking the SNP Government to court.

Who’s in and who’s out? Vuelio Political Services track all the moves and changes in UK politics, at Westminster and beyond.  

Carl Thompson

Men’s Lifestyle spotlight: Carl Thompson

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Carl Thompson is a face and name known to many throughout the blogging world and recently ranked in the top 10 UK men’s lifestyle blogs. With his eponymous blog, Carl covers a broad range of men’s lifestyle but specialises in fashion following the success of his menswear label. We spoke to Carl about the joys of Brazil, the best grooming products for the men’s market and how he likes to work with PRs.

Carl ThompsonHow many different areas does your blog cover, and do you have a primary focus?
My blog covers quite a range, but all centred around my personal lifestyle and interests that still largely focus on fashion. This past year I’ve spoken more about travel, the drinks industry, e-commerce and the current state of the high-street. I can’t ignore what’s going on with British retail, it’s more addictive than any soap. Above all, I’d say that my interest in the car industry has been the biggest lure. It’s also been my favourite as I get to flex some creative muscles.

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
I tend to find women are more thorough. When they want to explain what works with an outfit they’ll back it up with proof and 1,000 different pictures. I think guys are more content with looking good, but not necessarily getting in the weeds with why an outfit works, or the qualities of different fabrics.

I generally find women have more hustle in the blogging sphere and perhaps that’s just nature, it’s a far more saturated market. I also feel that the women’s blogs that I read, for example Sophie Milner’s Fashion Slave and Beth Sandland xo, focus on real life emotions and experiences, whereas men’s blogs tend to be more explaining and product focused.

Who is your favourite designer?
Tom Ford. Has been for a long time and still remains tip of the sphere for me. Every outfit exudes luxury.

What’s your favourite grooming product or service?
My favourite grooming product right now is the Panasonic ER-GB86 clipper. I’ve been waiting ages to find one that can tackle a thicker, unruly beard like mine, this comes with a high-torque motor so does the job nicely.

I’m road testing the Lab Series Oil Control and I think they’ve done a great campaign – got a lot of the right influencers onboard. Right now, I’m using the American Crew Boost Cream to control my slightly dry, frizzy hair that I apply on wet hair and blow-dry with my new Dyson hair dryer.

Fragrance-wise I’ve been experimenting a lot lately blending different scents and I’m going to share my two favourite combinations. The first is by Jo Malone: Oud & Bergamot combined with Honeysuckle & Davana; the second is by Tom Ford: Tuscan Leather combined with Plum Japonais.

Carl Thompson

What’s the best night out near you?
These days my best night out is actually a night in with a Deliveroo on order, a tub of Oppo Ice cream in the freezer and a Netflix boxset! Of course, I joke, I’m still partial to a good night out although I’ve left my clubbing days behind me and enjoy bars that serve good spirits and great food more.

Near me, I tend to spend most of my time in a bar called No32, the atmosphere is great, always busy on a weekend and most importantly the music is set at a level where you can still have a conversation. A good night out is always followed by a great roast dinner the next day and there are a few near me namely Trinity in Clapham Old Town, The Nightingale, The Avalon in Clapham South and The Grove in Balham.

What’s your favourite travel destination?
Ibiza is still king, holds a lot of nice memories for me. Although I’ve been to Morocco this year and the hotels and resorts in Marrakech are just sublime. Perfect for decompressing, fine food and most importantly, great Instagram pictures. A few off-the-beaten-track travel destinations that I also love are Los Roques in Venezuela, Fernando de Noronha and Jericoacoara both in Brazil… just google them and you’ll be booking your next trip away.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
They should know I’m very hands on. I like to be involved with every level of the campaign and have a vast amount of experience in what works and what doesn’t. I execute my deliverables to the highest possible quality, hiring the best videographers and photographers, often at my own expense.

I’m sometimes guilty of being quite curt with emails, but that’s only because I want to optimise time for all parties. For example, if there is no budget for a campaign that will monopolise a lot of my time, it’s best to get those discussions out of the way in the first exchange.

I remember a friend once telling me he asked his future wife if she wanted to have kids on the first date. It sounds nuts but his argument was he wanted kids and he didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. You can apply that logic to a lot of things I think.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on recently?
I have to compliment the team that put together the Menabrea Beer press trip in Milan last week. The itinerary was engaging, the deliverables were clear and transparent, and they really showed off the best parts of Milan. Some bloggers have a myopic view of Milan; complain about the energy, or lack of. It’s really getting to know where the locals hang out.

I’ve also had a lot of fun working with Mazda. I’m really proud of the videos we put together for their marketing campaign and I know it really resonated with some people, which is great.

Mazda

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
I’m not sure. Ultimately, I don’t know what it will achieve. How will it be regulated? I think we could do with some kind of independent body. I had a recent case where an agency owed me, and a lot of other influencers, money. They ghosted a lot of people, stopped returning phone calls, answering emails etc. They eventually released a statement declaring themselves insolvent, which happens in business (all too easily) but hundreds of bloggers were left in no man’s land and out of pocket just because an agency decides to disappear from the face of the earth. That’s where bloggers need help.

What other blogs do you read?
I actually read quite a few. Fashion Beans is a decent hub, Mr Porter Journal is something of an addiction and I like Pete Brooker over at Human Research. He runs his mouth a lot, he’s just given up pampering to brands. If I need grooming advice, I read Man for Himself by Robin James and finally, for the best visuals, I love browsing Fashitects by Toni Tran.

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Dapper Chapper

Talking men’s lifestyle with The Dapper Chapper

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Adam Tanous is The Dapper Chapper, leading men’s lifestyle blogger who recently ranked in the Top 10. Grown from a style blog, Dapper Chapper now covers everything from bars and travel to fitness and interiors. We caught up with Adam who told us about his favourite designers, what PRs should know before they contact him (and not just his favourite tipple), and the evolution of bloggers.

How many different areas does your blog cover, and do you have a primary focus?
We initially started as a style blog but have since diversified to add other sections including Grooming, Lifestyle, The Dapper Chapper Bar and Places to go. Lifestyle is again quite broad and within it we cover things for the home, interior design, fitness, and cars.

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
Regarding content and aesthetics, I’m not sure there is much difference these days as boundaries are constantly being blurred. What is clear is that there are far fewer active men’s lifestyle blogs compared to women’s, which is probably why we’ve had access to so many amazing collaborations.

Dapper Chapper

Who is your favourite designer?
Tough one because different designers tick different boxes for me. For Summer probably Orlebar Brown and Autumn maybe Private White V.C but easily my most blogged about brand is Clements and Church, who are a bespoke tailoring label. They have a high-profile client list and most of the tailoring that I wear now is by them – tailoring’s best-kept secret.

What’s your favourite grooming product or service?
Perhaps a bit obvious but Aventus by Creed is perhaps the fragrance that I get most comments on when I’m wearing it but that said, all of these are good too.

We’re also a big supporter of BEAST in Covent Garden which is a male-focused grooming destination. They are fantastic curators of interesting male grooming products and worth visiting.

What’s the best night out near you?
I’m a few miles from Stamford Bridge, so I’d probably say an evening watching Chelsea. Team colours aside, these days we spend most of our time socialising at either The Hospital Club in Covent Garden or one of the Soho House venues.

The Ned is also a good shout because you’re likely to find whatever you’re looking for there.

What’s your favourite travel destination?
Tough one, but Costa Rica still just about leads the way. It has everything; tropical climates, the rainforest, wildlife, unbelievable beaches and interesting cultures.

I’ve also had two European trips recently that I’ve been raving about. Firstly, driving around the lakes and the north of Italy and secondly, to Northern Ireland. Both produced great food and spectacular scenery if you’re looking for something a little closer to home.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
If you email me (or anyone at TDC for that matter) without writing our first name at the start of the email, it won’t be read. If you’re too busy to look up who we are then we’re too busy to open your email.

More crucially, I like whisky and gin – this is good to know.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on recently?
We’re lucky to regularly work on interesting campaigns. We’re collaborating with the Crown Estate to showcase everything that’s going on around St James’s which presents some fun activities.

One of the most interesting trips I’ve been on since I started blogging was out to the fabric mills in Biela, Italy with Clements and Church. It was incredible to see what goes into the fabrics and something I want to write more about.

Dapper Chapper

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Blogging is going through an interesting time at the moment. For us, the blog is still the heart of The Dapper Chapper brand and every piece of content we put out on social links back to something we’ve written for the blog.

Now, online influencers can create content for social channels without necessarily writing a blog post but to remain at the forefront I believe it’s important to be active on various channels.

I think an industry association would be helpful to provide a place to guide bloggers through the continued evolution within the world of blogging.

That said, Vuelio does a great job of creating blogging debate along with championing the blogger, particularly at the annual awards!

What other blogs do you read?
We work a bit with the guys at Menswear Style so I’m always checking in with them. I also appreciate the content by Robin James. I like the way it helps people practically, which is something we want to work towards.

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Raab

Political Headlines – Raab, Macron, Timothy and energy drinks

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Today’s Political Headlines include Raab’s admittance that Brexit talks are unlikely to be completed by October, Macron’s fears that a no-deal scenario would poison European relations, Nick Timothy criticising May’s Chequers plan and energy drinks ban for children.  

Brexit talks unlikely to achieve October deadline – Raab
The FT has splashed on the latest admission by Brexit secretary Dominic Raab that the October deadline for UK-EU talks is unlikely to be met, with both sides struggling to reach agreement over the Irish border and future trade relationship. Raab conceded that there would be ‘leeway’ over the signing of a deal, with many Brexit analysts viewing the Irish border as the main obstacle to agreement.

Macron fears that a no-deal scenario would ‘poison’ European relations
The Times reports that French President Emmanuel Macron is calling on the EU to push for a close relationship with Britain. The French president will use next month’s EU summit in Salzburg to call for a new structure for European alliances based on ‘concentric circles’, with the EU and the euro at its core, and Britain in a second ring.

May’s former chief-of-staff criticises May’s Chequers plan
Writing in The Telegraph, the Prime Minister’s former chief of staff Nick Timothy has said that the PM is set to compromise even further on her Chequers proposal and agree to a ‘worst of all worlds’ Brexit deal, that would be worse than no deal at all. Nick has called upon the PM to revive David Davis’ discarded white paper for a post-Brexit trade deal.

Energy Drinks to be banned for children
The Daily Mail reports that school children will be banned from purchasing energy drinks such as Red Bull and Monster Energy. The drinks’ high level of caffeine and sugar have been blamed for disruptive behaviour in classroom, and health campaigner Jamie Oliver has backed the campaign. No. 10 has said that it has not yet decided whether the ban should apply to under-16s or under-18s.

Corbynites plan to lobby Labours NEC meeting to stop U-turn on antisemitism
The Times reports that pro-Corbyn supporters in the Camden branch of Momentum are now planning a ‘mass lobby’ of next Tuesday’s meeting of Labour’s ruling executive, when the party is expected to finally adopt its new code on anti-Semitism.

Farage considers bid for Mayor of London
The FT has revealed that former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is considering running in the London mayoral election, in an attempt to push the Conservatives into third place. A senior Conservative official has said that Number 10 was braced for embarrassment if Farage decided to run, fearing electoral defeat despite not having selected a candidate yet.

Salmond resigns from SNP
The Telegraph is reporting on Alex Salmond’s resignation from the SNP. The former leader has quit the party following two sexual harassment allegations, saying he did not want to ‘facilitate opposition attacks on the SNP’. Salmond announced his resignation alongside a crowdfunding appeal, set up to raise money for his upcoming legal challenge against the SNP Government for their handling of the allegations.

Police and Crime Commissioners call for Spice to be reclassified as Class A
The Independent reports that a group of more than 20 Tory police and crime commissioners have written to the home secretary calling for the synthetic ‘zombie drug’ known as Spice to be reclassified as Class A. In an open letter, the crime czars warn the Class B substance poses the ‘most severe’ threat to public health in decades.

Ready by October or still more to negotiate? Don’t miss out on the latest political updates, get Vuelio Political Services.  

ape to gentleman

Interview with Ape to Gentleman’s Chris Beastall

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Ape to Gentleman recently ranked second in the Top 10 UK Men’s Lifestyle blogs. Written by Chris Beastall and his team of experts, Ape to Gentleman primarily focuses on grooming and style but also covers cars, tech and drink.

We caught up with Chris to chat about the best travel destination, the need to stay on brand and his recent whisky trip.

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
I feel as though the men’s blogs are more factual and educational, whereas the women’s blogs tend to be more inspirational. For example, we wrote an article on the best aftershave balms. Whereas the women’s blogs I follow might focus more on the influencer editor, and how to get her look. Very much a sweeping generalisation here!

Who is your favourite designer?
Currently, Alexandre Mattiussi of AMI for modern classics. For all-time, it’s Ralph Lauren.

Ape to gentleman

What’s your favourite grooming product or service?
Favourite grooming product would have to be my Philips beard trimmer. Great build quality and keeps my stubble the right length.

What’s the best night out near you?
Sheffield – mainly because everyone’s so friendly. It’s a big enough city, but with a small-town feel.

What’s your favourite travel destination?
The South of France. A bit cliched but it’s sophisticated, has good weather and is old school chic.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
Everything has to be on brand for Ape.

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What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on recently?
A recent trip to the Isle of Jura for Jura whisky was great – full of interesting creative types, and great whisky of course. And ‘Barbershops of America – Then and Now’; Rob Hammer, a photographer, documented barbershops old and new across the US and his images just ‘feel’ emotional. They conjure thoughts of all the stories shared in these places.

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Probably. It would legitimise the category. There’s a lot of bloggers creating some seriously good and original content out there.

What other blogs do you read?
Honestly, I don’t. We have an extensive editorial schedule which we stick to and therefore, don’t need inspiration from others. I tend to read or view photographers stories and work. And, of course, scroll through Instagram to check in on the people I follow.

Chris Beastall and Ape to Gentleman are both listings in the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other blogs, vlogs, outlets and opportunities.

The Everyday Man

Spotlight on leading men’s lifestyle blog: The Everyday Man

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John Robertson is The Everyday Man, and recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Men’s Lifestyle blogs. Covering a huge range of topics, from travel to cars, The Everyday Man has been supplying readers with the latest men’s lifestyle content since 2012.

We caught up with John, who told us about premium high street brands, the lovely people of Glasgow and working with PRs and brands.

How many different areas does your blog cover and do you have a primary focus?
I have eight subsections from Art & Design to Travel but my main focus is lifestyle, which more or less can encompass anything really.

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
I don’t think there is a massive difference if I’m honest, in fact about a third of my readers are female. I guess some of the experiences and products may be geared more directly towards men but with lifestyle topics they are generally relevant to everyone.

Who is your favourite designer?
I prefer premium high street brands to high level designers. My favourite shops that make up the bulk of my wardrobe are Reiss, Cos and H&M.

What’s your favourite grooming product or service?
I love getting my hair cut and struggle to go more than two weeks without having the sides trimmed. It’s a tad OCD I know, but I always feel great after a fresh trim!

What’s the best night out near you?
I live in Glasgow, which is a great city for a night out. The people are the friendliest probably anywhere, so you can always be guaranteed to have a fun night no matter what you decide to get up to. My ideal night out would probably be a nice meal while catching up with mates followed by a refreshment or two.

What’s your favourite travel destination?
I love Amsterdam as a city break destination. I’ve been there lots and never tire of it. I love that it’s small enough to wander around and has lots of cool and quirky shops and bars to have a nosey around.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I hate phone calls. I’d much rather just communicate over email as I find it easier to manage and keep on top of things when I have it all written down.

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What are the best campaigns you’ve recently collaborated on?
I worked on a design focused campaign with AC Hotels recently and really enjoyed it as I had lots of freedom to interpret the brief on my own and create content that worked well for my channels.

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Yes, it would be great for the industry. I hear horror stories about people not getting paid for jobs or people being ripped off all the time. A collective to support people would be a great thing.

What other blogs do you read?
I don’t read that many nowadays to be honest as I struggle to find the time. I try to keep an eye on Hypebeast (is that a blog?) as they always share the coolest sneaker releases and I’m a bit of a sneakerhead.

John Robertson and The Everyday Man are both listings in the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other blogs, vlogs, outlets and opportunities.

PM

Political Headlines – May vs Boris, Tories vs UKIP, Sacks vs Corbyn

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s vow to fight any leadership bids, pro-EU Tories fear entryism from UKIP voters, the former chief Rabbi who says Corbyn’s remarks are most offensive since rivers of blood, and tackling modern slavery. 

May would fight Boris Johnson leadership bid
The Guardian reports that Prime Minister Theresa May has said she would fight any leadership bid from Boris Johnson and she is planning to take the Conservatives into the next general election. She signalled her intention to deliver for the country despite the unhappiness at her Chequers deal. May also stated her intention to address the big issues at the upcoming Conservative Party conference, specifically mentioning her ambition to tackle housing.

Pro-EU Tories fear entryism from UKIP voters
The Times are reporting that pro-EU Conservative MPs are seeing an increase in applications to join their local parties, leading to concerns that UKIP voters are seeking to unseat them in favour of pro-Brexit candidates. This comes after key Leave.EU donor Arron Banks called for members of the Brexit campaign group to join the Conservatives and help select candidates sympathetic to Brexit.

Former chief Rabbi says reported Corbyn remarks most offensive since Enoch Powell
The New Statesman has an interview with the former Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, who says reported remarks made by Jeremy Corbyn on ‘Zionists’ are the most offensive remarks by a senior politician since Enoch Powell’s rivers of blood speech. Sacks called the remarks hateful, divisive and undermining to an entire group of British citizens. Sacks was also asked about Israel’s new nationality law, he said he is not a legal expert but as far as he understands it, there is nothing apartheid about it.

Crackdown on illegal and unsafe migration as part of attempts to tackle modern slavery
The Express reports that Theresa May will announce further measures on modern slavery today. A partnership with Nigeria will see the two nations work together to combat modern slavery. The plans will see support given to victims of modern slavery returning to Nigeria, this support will consist of counselling to deal with their distress and training to get them into jobs.

Scrap tax relief for entrepreneurs, says thinktank
The Guardian are reporting on research carried out by the Resolution Foundation, which has urged Chancellor Philip Hammond to abolish entrepreneur’s relief in the autumn budget. In a report released today, the thinktank has claimed scrapping the tax break would save roughly £2.7bn, which could then be spent on the NHS.

If there’s a leadership bid, some political stories move out the spotlight. Keep up to date with everything that matters to you with Vuelio Political Services.  

Ethics in PR and comms

Global PR associations agree new ethics code

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A task force of public relations and communication management organisations has identified 16 principles for ethical practice that they deem to be universal and fundamental to the practice of PR and comms.

The organisations, which includes the UK’s PRCA, based the principles on an analysis of the most prominent codes of ethics in public relations and communication management to build on the 2003 global protocol on ethics, the recent Helsinki principles and the IABC code.

Francis Ingham, of the ICCO and PRCA, said: ‘Less than a year ago, we expelled one of our most high-profile members from the UK Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) because of a breach of ethics. Building on that decision, the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) developed the Helsinki Declaration – our global principles of ethical practice. We warmly welcome these complementary principles from the Global Alliance. Seen together, our collective work represents the new gold standards of ethical public relations practice.’

The principles are split into two parts – guiding principles and principles of professional practice:

Guiding principles

  1. Working in the public interest
  2. Obeying laws and respect diversity and local customs
  3. Freedom of speech
  4. Freedom of assembly
  5. Freedom of media
  6. Honesty, truth and fact-based communication
  7. Integrity
  8. Transparency and disclosure
  9. Privacy

Principles of professional practice

  1. Commitment to continuous learning and training
  2. Avoiding conflict of interest
  3. Advocating for the profession
  4. Respect and fairness in dealing with publics
  5. Expertise without guarantee of results beyond capacity
  6. Behaviours that enhance the profession
  7. Professional conduct

Jose Manuel Velasco, chair of the Global Alliance, which represents more than sixty organisations, said: ‘We are happy to announce that the members of the Global Alliance and IABC have agreed on sixteen principles that should be covered in every code of ethics for our profession. We are also happy to announce that these principles have the support of ICCO, the PRCA UK and PRCA MENA.

‘Our combined efforts will help elevate the profession and promote ethics from a position of strength.’

Project lead, and GA past chair Jean Valin said: ‘As communicators and public relations professionals, we have the potential to influence economies and individuals. This carries obligations and responsibilities to society and to organisations. Ethics must be at the core of our activity. In our world of fake news and concerns over privacy as artificial intelligence ramps up, we are at an ethical crossroads. There is no public relations/communication profession without ethics.’

All members of the Global Alliance (sixty plus organisations) will be reviewing their codes of ethics to determine if they align with the new global principles within six months. The Global Alliance has updated its own 2003 code to reflect the new global principles.

Members of the task force included representatives from:

  • Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
  • Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS)
  • Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ)
  • Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA)
  • International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO)
  • International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
  • Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) United Kingdom and Middle East North Africa

Recognising the importance of putting principles and codes into practice, the task force has also assembled a repository of critical resources such as case studies, podcasts, newsletters and advisories culled from the members of the Alliance and other organisations, which is available here.

If you’d like to add anything to the resource list, please contact Jean Valin directly.