political headlines 27.07

Political Headlines – Custom’s proposals, second referendum, anti-Semitism

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Today’s Political Headlines include Barnier rejecting May’s customs proposals, support for a second referendum and the Shadow Cabinet rebelling over antisemitism defintion. 

Barnier rejects May’s customs proposals
The Guardian reports that the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has rejected Theresa May’s proposals on customs, effectively killing off her Chequers plan. He also warned that attempts to go behind his back and appeal directly to EU leaders would be a waste of time, but said that the was ‘pleased’ with the progress of discussions on foreign policy and security. The BBC adds that May is in Austria today to hold Brexit talks with the country’s Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz.

Majority now back second referendum, poll finds
According to a YouGov poll for The Times, the proportion of voters backing a referendum on the terms of the Brexit deal has overtaken those who don’t. The poll also shows a narrow lead in favour of remaining in the EU if a referendum on membership was held tomorrow.

Shadow Cabinet in ‘open rebellion’ over antisemitism definition
The Daily Telegraph says that members of Labour’s Shadow Cabinet are in ‘open rebellion’ over Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to accept the international definition of antisemitism. Deputy Leader Tom Watson has warned that disciplining Dame Margaret Hodge for calling Corbyn antisemitic is ‘counter-productive’, while Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth and Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner have also been critical.

Private probation firms face early contract termination
The Guardian says that the eight private firms running ‘community rehabilitation companies’ in England and Wales are to have their contracts terminated two years early, in 2020, abandoning reforms introduced by Chris Grayling. Justice Secretary David Gauke claimed that the reforms were ‘ambitious and innovative’ but there were ‘clear lessons that need to be learned’.

McVey urges teenagers to get summer jobs
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey has claimed that a decline in the number of teenagers taking summer jobs is leaving people unprepared for the workplace. She is launching an initiative to improve ‘essential skills’ by advertising 20,000 holiday jobs on a Government website.

Medical cannabis to be available on the NHS within weeks
The Daily Mirror reports that Home Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed that medical cannabis products will be available on prescription from the NHS within weeks. This follows the high-profile case of the epileptic child Billy Caldwell, whose medical cannabis was seized by the Home Office, leading to reviews of the drug by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies.

Home Office suspends co-operation with US in jihadi case
The Guardian says that the Home Office has temporarily suspended co-operation with US authorities over the case of two British jihabis facing execution in the country, following a request from a legal representative of the family of one of the detainees, in order to allow for a ruling by the courts.

New business envoy appointed
The Financial Times reveals that Theresa May has appointed a new business envoy, whose role will be to strengthen links with British companies and foreign investors. The post, which has been vacant for a year, will be held by William Vereker, a former executive at UBS who has also worked at Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers and Nomura.

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Jeremy Corbyn

Political Headlines – Antisemitism, grooming gangs, Fiona Onasanya

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Today’s Political Headlines include Jewish papers criticising Labour over antisemitism, the Home Secretary’s research into grooming gangs, and Fiona Onasanya’s suspension

Jewish papers join forces to criticise Labour over antisemitism
The Guardian reports that the UK’s three most prominent Jewish newspapers have joined forces with a joint editorial and similar front pages attacking Labour for its failure to fully adopt the internationally accepted definition of antisemitism. The Jewish News, Jewish Telegraph and Jewish Chronicle claim that a Corbyn-led government would pose an ‘existential threat to Jewish life in this country’ and that the party was seen to be ‘institutionally racist’.

Javid orders research into grooming gangs’ ethnic origin
The Times reveals that Home Secretary Sajid Javid has ordered research into why men convicted of grooming-gang sex crimes come disproportionately from a Pakistani background. He said that knowing the ‘particular characteristics’ of the offenders was ‘critical to our understanding’ of the crimes and would ‘support a more targeted response’.

Labour whip charged with perverting course of justice
The Daily Telegraph says that Labour whip Fiona Onasanya has been charged with perverting the course of justice, following allegations that she tried to pass on speeding points a month after she was elected. Her constituency, Peterborough, is one of the most marginal in the country – she defeated Tory incumbent Stewart Jackson by 607 votes at last year’s election.

Gary Lineker backs calls for a referendum on the final Brexit deal
As the Daily Mail reports, Gary Lineker has backed the campaign for a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal, claiming that this was ‘more important than football’ to him. The People’s Vote campaign is planning a ‘summer of action’ including rallies and protests across the country. The Financial Times says that research by the Centre for Cities shows that Wales would be worst hit by a bad Brexit deal for the financial sector.

Irish foreign minister warns against ‘talking up’ no deal Brexit
The Guardian reports that Simon Coveney, Ireland’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister, has warned that too many people are ‘talking up inappropriately’ the chance of a no deal Brexit, although he believes that this outcome is unlikely. He also called for the UK to show flexibility in the Brexit negotiations.

Heatwaves could kill 7000 a year, MPs warn
The Sun says that a report by the Commons Environmental Audit Committee claims that heatwaves could kill over 7000 people a year by 2050 if ministers don’t take action. The report also warns that roads could ‘melt’. It calls for annual heatwave plans and an alert system to be set up, as well as changes to building regulations.

Labour to hire lawyers to draw up nationalisation plans
According to The Times, Labour has agreed to hire lawyers to draw up draft legislation and to ensure that its nationalisation plans are legally sound. The party is also considering devolving more powers to local and regional government, with Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell to launch a consultation later this year.

MPs call on Chancellor to cut tax relief on pensions
The Financial Times carries details of a new report by the Commons Treasury Committee which recommends that the Chancellor should cut back tax relief on pensions contributions used mostly by the well-off and make savings incentives more attractive to the poor. The measures would also save the Treasury money.

Need help navigating the political landscape? Find out more about Vuelio Political Services and how they can help you. 

iGen report front cover

Brands must give the iGen generation ideas to express themselves says Good Relations report

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Do you know how to communicate and engage with the iGen? The latest report from Good Relations – Meet the iGen – provides invaluable advice on the importance of speed and relevance in brand comms. Here are the top five things comms and PR professionals should bear in mind when targeting the iGen demographic.

Brands can engage with consumers under 23 if they give them ideas to help them express themselves, says David Wiles, executive director, consumer at Good Relations, the PR and content agency.

His insight comes from a recent Good Relations report – Meet the iGen – which is based on the findings of a survey more than 1000 people, backed up by qualitative research with some 80 ‘iGeners’ between the ages of 16 and 21.

Wiles adds that there are five points communicators and PR professionals should bear in mind when they are getting messages out to people in the iGen (16-23 year olds born between 1995 and 2012) demographic group:

1. It’s not just playing with their phones, it’s augmenting their lives.

‘We know that the iGen have grown up with technology and this shapes how they see the world,’ says Wiles. ‘It also changes how they access content, which is changing how they communicate. They expect brands to keep up with these communication trends too.’

‘However, they are not just playing with their phones, they’ve integrated technology into their lives. They use their smartphones as the tool to better themselves and the world around them, not just as a vehicle to waste time and play Candy Crush. Brands must make sure they are building in their new reality, and communicating in their new language.’

2. They’re not just taking selfies, they are managing their personal brands.

Crafting and managing their own personal brand, as well as understanding their impact on society, are two of the key objectives for the next generation as they enter adulthood, says the Good Relations report.

iGen use social media as a tool by which to manage their personal brand, and believe that it determines a person’s future success – socially, professionally, and romantically.

‘Selfies may have started as a light-hearted tool of self-promotion, but actually, they exhibit a mindset that puts the individual at the core of personal brand. Emphasis on the self has never been stronger,’ Wiles explained. ‘Brands must be confident that they are giving the iGen ideas that are helping them to express themselves. Does your brand’s content express a sentiment that the iGen can relate to and share?’

3. They’re not vain, they’re worried about their careers, politics, and their future.

According to Wiles, if they don’t put the effort into curating their online personas, they are more likely to be bullied. This is leading to an increase in depression and anxiety. With 36% worried about bullying and 34% about trolling.

4. It’s not a short attention span, it’s an eight second filter.

‘With so much content available, they have had to develop incredible filters,’ Wiles adds. ‘This is called the eight second filter. iGens control so many accounts and channels that they are suffering from an attention diversion crisis which has changed how they observe life around them. Brands now only have eight seconds in which to grab consumers’ attention.’

5. They’re not consuming different things, just in different ways.

The content is largely the same, just consumed through different channels. Wiles explains: ‘They follow brands and watch TV just like everyone else. But they’re not waiting for Match of the Day, they’re watching it 24/7 on Copa90. They’re not turning to magazines for the latest beauty and lifestyle hacks, they’re getting it from their favourite influencers on Instagram and YouTube.’

He adds: ‘When it comes to engaging the iGens, the simplest and most useful thing a brand can focus on is adapting to the sheer speed of their communications. From the moment they wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night, their efficiency of communications and content consumption is, regardless of channel, neck-breakingly fast and highly reactive.’

Peter Linsley

Interview with top cycling blogger Peter Linsley

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Peter Linsley is the man behind ragtime cyclist, the blog that was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Cycling Blogs. Writing about everything cycling, including the best snacks and his own humorous take on races . We chatted to Peter about the best bike he’s ever ridden, his favourite cycle route and whether bloggers need their own industry association.

What makes your blog unique?
I zero in on the detail.

If I write about a bike ride you won’t get route descriptions and practical advice, but descriptions of the mid-ride flapjack and the way, in a certain light, that my riding partner looks like Gareth Southgate.

What’s the cycling blogging community like to be part of?
Generally, it’s great. Here in the UK, cycling has become such a huge cultural phenomenon and many of us are still a bit wide-eyed with surprise at the way it nudges the mainstream from time to time.

Also, cyclists are funny, handsome, and smart. Even wearing Lycra. Don’t let anyone tell you any different.

What’s the best bike you’ve ever ridden?
Like many cyclists I have a slightly ridiculous and almost emotional attachment to my current best bike: a Wilier Triestina Zero 9. However, if I’m honest, the Raleigh Burner I got for my eighth birthday takes some beating.

How many bikes do you own?
Just two. A Wilier Zero 9 for the summer months, and a Pinarello Angliru for the winter. Never got into mountain biking. Not too bothered about cyclo-cross.

Maybe I should buy another road bike?!

What’s the best cycle route in the world?
Ahh, that’s a tough one.

I can highly recommend basing yourself at Barcelonette in the Southern French Alps. From there, you ride the Three Cols: up the Col d’Allos, over the Col des Champs, and back via the Col de la Cayolle, for a total of 120 kilometres and 3500 metres of vertical climbing.

It’s a big day on the bike, and not for the faint-hearted, but the chance to head above 2000 metres in altitude three times in a single day is worth every pedal stroke.

What will be the next big thing in cycling?
Oh man, who knows?

With the benefits around ride comfort, improved rolling resistance, and a promise of fewer punctures, I have a feeling the time is right for tubeless tyres to finally take off. Obviously, the “puncture fairy” might have one or two things to say about that!

The cycling world – professional and amateur alike – has been resistant for years, but with tubeless ready rims now available from tons of manufacturers we might be just be on the cusp of change.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
For the right collaboration I’ve even been known to cancel a bike ride. That’s how committed I am.

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What is the best campaign you’ve collaborated on?
It’s a secret!

I worked with one of the world’s top bike brands to develop a convincing “voice” for a new range of their products, and my lips are contractually sealed. The chance to see how they work at that level of the industry was hugely impressive.

Also, it was nice little reminder that the big-boys do care what goes on in the blogging world – I took it be a little respectful tip of the hat!

Do bloggers need their own industry association?
Blogging is peculiar in that it’s almost exclusively an amateur pursuit, which encroaches on the professional world (of journalism). Perhaps an industry association could legitimise the standards bloggers hold themselves too, and are held against? It might help those bloggers who take it seriously, be taken seriously. Where do I sign?!

What other blogs do you read?
I get my pro cycling fix from INRNG.com – an absolute authority on the sport.

I also like humancyclist.wordpress.com for his take on everyday cycling. He has a great turn of phrase, and a really genuine bitter/sweet love/hate thing going on.

I still read Velominati.com. Is that a blog? Whatever – it’s funny, and inspires me to write!

Peter and ragtime cyclist are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

Four tips for true comms integration

Four tips for true comms integration from Angie Moxham at The Fourth Angel

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Truly integrated PR, comms and marketing campaigns are not common enough, says Angie Moxham, founder and Arch Angel of the North of Integrated comms agency The Fourth Angel.

However, she says there are huge benefits to be reaped if you can deliver true integration.

Moxham, who also founded award-winning PR consultancy 3 Monkeys, shares with us four tips for in-house teams and agencies if they want to set-up and run a successful integrated campaign:

1. Get buy-in from the top and involve everyone from the outset

‘The most important thing is that everybody is involved from day one. When I worked with Microsoft, at 3 Monkeys, our client would brief out all the agencies and say: “May the best idea win!” In effect, they wanted the best ideas – regardless of the agency’s core discipline – to be looked at in an integrated way. As a client, they are very discipline-neutral.’

‘I also worked with United Biscuits (now part of pladis) and, not only was there a very enlightened marketing and comms team, the chief executive Martin Glenn (now at the FA) knew the importance of getting the marketing right and the power of PR. This meant different agencies worked together as one team, led by the client.’

2. Shatter internal silos

‘A big challenge to integration is when you have to battle through internal silos. This usually occurs with big brands with complicated internal structures. Another challenge you can encounter is insecure or inflated egos. And, of course, there can be the traditional marketing heirachy which tends to see advertising – as a discipline – sitting at the top table and PR parked at the bottom. You have to rise above it all and leave egos and the usual budget buckets at the door.’

3. Introduce an integration manifesto

‘You need one person in charge and, at the kick-off meeting, agree rules of engagement between in-house teams and any agencies that are involved. One way of ensuring people don’t fall short is to introduce an integration manifesto to get them to ‘sign-up’ to. In my experience, everyone starts off with best intentions to deliver one story brilliantly, but they may sometimes need help and guidance to keep on track. It’s too easy to fall back into old patterns of behaviour and working, and the ‘day job’ can get in the way too.’

4. Bring people on the campaign together

‘You need to have someone in charge, but it helps to have two people ensuring integration happens – one on the client and one on the agency side. And it’s not just about how people work together and how they behave in meetings. Help them build into a fully functioning team.’

‘I created a model called Tribe – and the concept of tribal working. It might sound a little shallow, but, as well as working hard together, it really helps if the team working on an integrated brief ‘plays’ together a little bit too. Go out for a few cheeky beers so you all bond better, get to know each other outside of the office; have fun and celebrate key milestones. Critically you also need to empower people and give them permission to try something new.’

It’s worth getting integration right, she adds. ‘You absolutely do get better results and maximise the spend,’ Moxham believes. ‘You’ll get the best thinking out of the teams involved and make sure the measurement and evaluation is factored in at the beginning. Output’s fine but real achievable outcomes – an ultimate bottom-line business benefit – need to be measured. That’s what the CFO, the CEO, and ultimately, you, will want to see. Integration is a way to ensure you get way more bang for your buck.’

Angie Moxham founder of The Fourth Angel

 

Angie Moxham is an award-winning founder and manager of PR consultancies. She sold 3 Monkeys to Zeno, part of the DJ Edelman Group, to ‘help my baby fly’. Two years later (in March this year) she launched The Fourth Angel, a Soho-based full service consultancy which is ‘testing the boundaries of traditional PR and marcoms thinking and execution’.

Andrew P Sykes

Cycling adventures with leading cycling blogger Andrew P. Sykes

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Andrew P. Sykes created CyclingEurope.org, the blog that was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Cycling Blogs. Sharing his adventures as he cycles around the UK and Europe. We caught up with Andrew to talk about what makes the cycling community different, the next big thing in cycling and how he likes to work with PRs.

What makes your blog unique?
2018 marks the 10th birthday of the blog so I suppose that in a world of websites that come and go, CyclingEurope.org does at least have longevity. Over the last 10 years I’ve probably written about most aspects of cycling in nearly 3,000 posts so it has become a useful source of reference for people wishing to find out about travelling with a bike, especially within Europe.

What’s the cycling blogging community like to be part of?
Very much like the cycling community. People who cycle have a take on life, which is subtly different to those who don’t; a combination of adventure and free-spirit but above all friendly. They don’t take themselves too seriously either.

What’s the best bike you’ve ever ridden?
My Ridgeback Panorama, Reggie, of course… He’s been the star of three books so how could I say anything but!

How many bikes do you own?
Just the two; Reggie is currently ‘resting’, so at the moment most of my time is spent sitting on a Cannondale CAADX 105 cross bike called (what else?), Dale… He’s not as forgiving as Reggie on the steep Pennine hills of Yorkshire however.

What’s the best cycle route in the world?
The next one you plan on taking, especially if it’s got a good view from the top.

What will be the next big thing in cycling?
When I started the blog in 2008, disc brakes were sneered upon as a fad for mountain bikers. Now they are fitted as standard on most bikes, even touring bikes. I’m hoping that the next big shift will be away from derailleurs and towards hub gears and carbon belt ‘chains’. Time will tell.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
Don’t send me an email that has clearly been sent to a thousand other people as well simply consign it to the trash. If you want my attention, call me Andrew (rather than my email address!) and give me a clue that you’ve spent at least a few minutes looking at the website to discover whether it really is a suitable one for your client to be associated with.

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What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on?
I recently worked with two organisations in the travel industry relating to train and ferry travel. The nice thing about the collaboration was that some really useful information was made available to readers about combining cycling with taking the train or ferry.

Do bloggers need their own industry association?
Probably not; bloggers are no longer the new kids on the block. We know our stuff and are increasingly savvy about the ways of the PR world. Respect us for that and we can have a fruitful relationship without needing a governing body to regulate things

What other blogs do you read?
How long is a piece of string?? It changes every week. Currently, I’m planning my next long ride along the entire length of Japan in 2020 so anything connected to that is attracting my attention.

Andrew and CyclingEurope.org are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

political headlines 25.07

Political Headlines – Brexit, British-Irish conference, treason laws

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Today’s Political Headlines includes May taking back control over Brexit negotiations, the British-Irish intergovernmental conference and calls to update treason laws.

May takes back control of Brexit negotiations
The Guardian reports that Theresa May has taken control of the Brexit negotiations, supported by the Cabinet Office Europe Unit, effectively ‘sidelining’ the new Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and his department and leaving him with responsibility for domestic preparations, no-deal planning and legislation. The BBC says that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that the NHS is planning to stockpile medicines and other products in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

British and Irish ministers hold first intergovernmental conference for over a decade
The BBC reports that British and Irish ministers are meeting in London at the first session of their intergovernmental conference since 2007. It adds that the conference is popular with nationalists, but that unionists are more suspicious of it and that the Government has been resisting Irish requests for it be convened for ‘many months’.

Treason laws should be updated to prosecute jihadis
The Daily Telegraph says that the former Home Secretary Amber Rudd, former head of MI5 Lord Evans and former Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge have called for the UK’s treason laws to be updated and used to prosecute jihadis who have fought in Syria, backing a report by Policy Exchange. However, the paper adds that the newly-appointed Director of Public Prosecutions, Max Hill, has advocated a more liberal approach to returning jihadis.

Sarah Champion given increased security after death threats
The Times reveals that Labour MP Sarah Champion has been given increased security after she received death threats. Champion has been accused by activists in Rotherham, her constituency, of ‘industrial-scale racism’ after she condemned the sexual abuse of girls by British Pakistani men, whose ‘common ethnic heritage’ she highlighted.

Labour demands to know if Government blacklists are still in place
The Guardian says that Labour has called on the Government to confirm whether secret blacklists are still in place, monitoring the political views of civil servants, trades unionists and councillors. This follows the release of papers by the National Archives showing that the Thatcher government and MI5 compiled lists of those seen as subversive or threats.

Campaigners warn new planning rules threaten greenbelt land
The Daily Telegraph warns that greenbelt land has been put at risk of development under the Government’s new National Planning Policy Framework. Under the policy, councils will lose some of their ability to control development if house building falls below 75% of Government targets, but the Campaign to Protect Rural England has warned that house builders will be able to game this system by sitting on land.

Taxpayers could face a ‘retirement levy’ to fund social care
According to The Daily Telegraph, the Government is considering a ‘retirement levy’, under which taxpayers would pay a lump sum to the Government to fund the cost of residential and social care in old age. A source close to Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock told the paper that ‘nothing is off the table’.

Government tries to bury bad news on last day of Parliament
The Daily Mirror highlights fifteen pieces of ‘bad news’ which the Government issued on the last day of Parliament making it ‘next to impossible’ to properly scrutinise them. These include lower pay rises for public sector staff than experts recommended, the sale of the home of the Red Arrows, delays to school funding plans and court closures.

Need help navigating the political landscape? Find out more about Vuelio Political Services and how they can help you. 

political headline 2407

Political Headlines – Terrorists, manufacturing, public-sector payrises

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Today’s Political Headlines includes British terrorists potentially facing the death penalty, Corbyn accusing May of not supporting manufacturers, and the Government announcing public sector pay rises.

May willing to let British terrorists face execution
The Times claims that Theresa May pushed for the prosecution of two British terrorists by the USA despite the risk that they could be executed, in a decision which it claims caused ‘cross-party uproar in Westminster yesterday’. The Daily Telegraph says that when Boris Johnson was Foreign Secretary, he warned that the move could prevent the UK from demanding that others are spared the death penalty in future, but ultimately decided that ‘the benefits outweighed the risks’. It also claims that David Cameron had waived assurances in an earlier case, so the decision does not set a new precedent. The paper adds that terrorists who enter no-go areas such as Syria will face prosecution under new laws to be proposed by the Government.

Corbyn to criticise May for not supporting manufacturers
The Guardian reveals that Jeremy Corbyn will use a speech in Birmingham today to criticise the Government for not introducing an industrial plan to help manufacturers make the most of the weak pound following the EU referendum. He will also urge Theresa May to reconsider negotiating a new customs union with the EU.

Government to announce public sector pay rises
The Sun says the Government is to announce pay rises for a million public sector workers, but these are likely to be funded from savings made by departments not by the Treasury. In 2018-19 staff will see an increase of between 1.5% and 3.5%, with most getting a 2% rise.

US banks call for taxes and regulations to be cut after Brexit
The Financial Times claims that US banks have called for the Government to cut taxes and red tape in order to prevent financial assets and jobs leaving the UK after Brexit. One top executive said, having met Chancellor Philip Hammond, that the Government knew that ‘there is a ticket to pay’ if it wants to maintain London’s status as a financial centre.

Labour MPs defer vote on antisemitism definition
The Guardian says that Labour MPs have deferred a vote on whether or not to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism until September, although a preliminary motion was passed which means that they are ‘ultimately all but certain to adopt’ it. Lord Prescott apparently raised objections to the motion.

Hunt warns of ‘no deal’ if EU negotiators don’t change their approach
The Daily Mail reports that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has insisted that only Vladimir Putin would celebrate a no-deal Brexit, but warned that if the EU failed to compromise the UK would not ‘blink’ and it would ‘change British attitudes to Europe for a generation’. He said that if the bloc did not change approach, there was ‘a real risk of a no deal by accident’.

Rules on foreign takeovers to be tightened
According to the Financial Times, proposals unveiled today would see increased scrutiny of foreign takeovers if they raise national security concerns. Those involved in relevant deals will be encouraged to notify the government ahead of the deal and breaches of the Government’s recommendations will become a criminal, not a civil, offence.

MPs to vote on Paisley suspension
The BBC reports that MPs are to vote on suspending DUP MP Ian Paisley for 30 days after he failed to declare two family holidays paid for by the government of Sri Lanka and then lobbied on behalf of Sri Lanka. If the suspension is approved and 10% of his constituents sign a petition, a by-election could then be held in the seat.

Need help navigating the political landscape? Find out more about Vuelio Political Services and how they can help you. 

Political Headlines – Amazon, Brexit, North-East Cabinet Meeting

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Today’s Political Headlines includes Amazon planning for a ‘no-deal’, May’s meeting with her cabinet in the North-East and the EU rejecting the UK’s plans for financial services post-Brexit

Amazon planning for ‘no deal’ Brexit civil unrest
The Times says that the head of Amazon UK, Doug Gurr, has warned that there could be ‘civil unrest’ within a fortnight of a ‘no deal’ Brexit and that Amazon was making contingency plans for such a scenario, and that Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has accused the EU of ‘irresponsibility’ for pointing out that there were no arrangements in place for the treatment of UK and EU expats if no agreement was reached. The i warns that the Government might suspend food safety controls at borders in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

May holds cabinet meeting in the North East
As The Guardian reports, Theresa May is to hold a cabinet meeting in the North East today as she launches a campaign to get public backing for her Brexit proposals. She will use the opportunity to back the Northern Powerhouse with up to £780m for an upgrade to the east coast mainline and the confirmation of the ‘North of Tyne’ devolution deal. The Financial Times adds that May is also sending senior ministers to EU27 countries in a bid to secure their backing for her proposed deal.

EU rejects UK financial services plans
The Financial Times claims that the EU has rejected the UK’s plans for financial services after Brexit as they would deny the bloc its ‘decision-making autonomy’, breaking with the principle that the EU is able to freely withdraw access rights to its market. The Guardian has been told that EU officials will reject an extension of the Article 50 negotiations if there is not a major realignment of British politics, for example another referendum or election.

Javid secretly drops UK opposition to death penalty for terrorists
According to documents seen by The Daily Telegraph, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has secretly dropped the UK’s opposition to the death penalty and Guantanamo Bay to allow two members of ISIL to be sent to the USA for prosecution. A senior source told the paper that the USA had been verbally warned not to send the duo to Guantanamo Bay.

Whistleblowers criticise universal credit flaws
The Guardian says that it has been told by whistleblowers that ‘design flaws and process faults’ in universal credit are so bad that mistakes and delays are virtually inevitable. A service centre worker told the paper that the administration of the benefit ‘is having an actively harmful effect on a huge number of claimants’.

Jewish Labour MPs to urge parliamentary party to accept full antisemitism definition
According to the BBC, Jewish Labour MPs will use a meeting later today to persuade the parliamentary party to accept the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, unlike new guidelines adopted by the party last week. The Guardian adds that John McDonnell suggested the party should ‘just move on’ from holding an inquiry into Margaret Hodge, after she accused Jeremy Corbyn of being an antisemite.

Senior Tory officials to attend meeting on Andrew Griffiths’ future
The Guardian reveals that a leaked e-mail discloses that Andrew Griffiths, who resigned as a minister after sending sexually explicit messages to two women, will have his future discussed by members of his local Conservative association in the presence of senior party officials. The paper suggests that this means that the party is trying to block local attempts to force him to step down.

UK’s tax burden highest since Harold Wilson was Prime Minister
The Daily Mail carries details of a TaxPayers’ Alliance report which claims that the UK’s tax burden has reached its highest for almost half a century. According to the campaign group, this year’s tax is the equivalent of 34.3% of GDP, the highest proportion since 1969-70, under Harold Wilson’s Labour government.

Need help navigating the political landscape? Find out more about Vuelio Political Services and how they can help you. 

you shouldn't have missed

Five Things: Google fine, BuzzFeedNews, Trump, Top 50 and DJ D-Sol

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This week’s Five Things You Should Have Missed – sorry I meant to write ‘Shouldn’t’, rather than ‘Should’ – includes Google’s record fine, the new BuzzFeed News, Trump’s bizarre approach to communication, the Top 50 Blogs and DJ D-Sol.

1. Google’s Fine

Google fineLast week’s Five Things included a story on the fine Facebook had incurred from the ICO for breaching data rules. The £500,000 fee was just a drop in the ocean of Facebook’s earnings as it applied to offences committed before the GDPR came into force. This week Google has made the news for violating EU antitrust laws, which has led to a significantly higher fine of €4.34bn (£3.8bn or about 5% of revenue). As reported by the Guardian, the EU claims Google has carried out ‘serious illegal behaviour’ to secure the dominance of its search engine on mobile phones. Google search is the default on Android phones and the EU believes this doesn’t give people serious choice.

Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition commissioner, said consumers ‘pay with their data. Or to slightly paraphrase what [US free market economist] Milton Friedman has said: “there ain’t no such thing as a free search”.’

Google plans to appeal as it believes ‘Android has created more choice for everyone, not less’. However, if Google doesn’t end its ‘illegal conduct’ within 90 days, it could face fines of 5% of its daily revenue (in excess of $15m) every day it is late.

President Trump has now waded into the argument, on Twitter (of course):

 

2. BuzzFeed News

Buzzfeed

BuzzFeed has created a new standalone website to house its serious journalism: BuzzFeed News. This new brand not only showcases its impressive journalistic content (it has been nominated for and won a number of international awards) but also makes it stand out from the content BuzzFeed is famous for, namely listicles and quizzes.

As reported by TechCrunch, Buzzfeed senior product manager Kate Zasada said the company’s own research has found that some readers ‘don’t completely understand’ that while BuzzFeed is famous for GIF-filled lists, it also produced ‘deeply researched and fact-checked’ journalism. The BuzzFeed main site will still host news content and BuzzFeed News will still link to the main site, but the entities are intended to be distinct.

BuzzFeed News’ design means content is not separated into traditional news topics, instead it is focused on trending and top stories as selected by the BuzzFeed News editorial team. The site will also eschew traditional sponsored posts that appear frequently on BuzzFeed. Currently the site is based in the US and covers US news – if successful it is likely to roll out to other BuzzFeed markets including the UK.

 

3. Trump Derangement Syndrome

President

President Trump has had a tricky week. While we could say this of most weeks of his Presidency, this week Trump has uncharacteristically backtracked, sort of.

After Trump met Putin in Helsinki, the pair gave a joint press conference during which Trump said he saw ‘no reason it would be’ Russia who had meddled in the US election. This flew in the face of intelligence from several American agencies and led to Trump being branded by some as a ‘traitor’.

Perhaps realising he had created a potentially career-ending remark, Trump made an incredible correction. Back on home soil, Trump said: ‘In a key sentence in my remarks, I said the word “would” instead of “wouldn’t”’. That means he meant to say he saw ‘no reason it wouldn’t be Russia’.  Though this doesn’t make much sense the context of the speech, it is very typical of Trump’s approach to comms, telling his own narrative and sticking to it.

His opinion on Russia since is very mixed, with some tweets suggesting the meeting was excellent and people hated that he got on with Putin because they had ‘Trump derangement syndrome’, and others suggesting he believes Russia meddled in the election. This week it was announced that he has invited Putin to the Whitehouse.

Adding more pressure to Trump’s bad week, Barack Obama gave a speech that was seen to target Trump even though he wasn’t named. Obama said politicians today lie, which isn’t new, but when they’re caught out, they keep lying. He also explained that it’s very difficult to engage with people who refuse to agree on basic fundamental truths. Watch Obama’s speech below:

 

4. Top 50 Blogs

The biggest ranking Vuelio publishes each year has once again found Guido Fawkes to be the number on blog in the UK. The political giant, whose posts literally have the power to shape Government, is enjoying a boom time as Brexit makes politics a daily news factory. This is reflected by the other political bloggers in the list: ConservativeHome (7), Wings Over Scotland (12), Politicalbetting.com (14), LabourList (15), Bella Caledonia (21), Left Foot Forward (24) and Slugger O’Toole (30).

As always, football and automotive blogs have done very well, the former no doubt boosted by this year’s World Cup. Outside of these dominant categories, the Top 50 shows great variety with bloggers covering everything from fashion and beauty to crafts and photography.

Find out how Vuelio decides its rankings here.

 

5. Wicked, Wicked, Goldman is Massive

Goldman Sachs

A surprising bit of news from Goldman Sachs has been a boon for its PR this week. While most new CEO announcements are dry affairs, Goldman Sachs’ appointment of David Solomon has brought an added bonus. The new boss, who will take over the top job in October, is also a DJ, who goes by the stage name DJ D-Sol. No, really. Check him out on Instagram or Spotify.

This has made the corporate giant seem that bit more human, young and interesting this week – something Goldamn Sachs perhaps didn’t need but has certainly gained it an incredible amount of additional press.

 

Did we miss anything? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio. 

Ireland border

Political Headlines – Brexit, prisons, crime and the pairing row

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Today’s Political Headlines includes the latest Brexit discussions, Gauke’s call for prison rehabilitation, crimes leading to charges and calls for two Tories to quit in pairing row. 

May to call on EU to ‘evolve’ its position
The BBC has details of a speech to be given by Theresa May in Belfast this morning, in which she will warn that she cannot accept the ‘economic and constitutional dislocation of a formal ‘third country’ customs border within our own country’ and call on the EU to ‘evolve its position in kind’. The Times adds that EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier used remarks before his first meeting with the new Brexit Secretary, Dominic Raab, yesterday to warn that that it would be a ‘challenge’ to find common ground between the two sides. The Mirror says that Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned yesterday that a ‘no deal’ Brexit would leave planes unable to fly between the two countries.

Gauke calls for prisons to focus on rehabilitation
Justice Secretary David Gauke has told The Daily Telegraph that prisons should ‘change lives’ and give prisoners ‘hope’ rather than focusing on retribution and that the prison service would ‘struggle’ to cope with significant increases in the number of prisoners. He claimed that short sentences should only be a ‘last resort’ as they don’t reduce reoffending.

Over 90% of crimes do not result in a charge
The Times says that new Home Office crime figures show that just 9.1% of crimes in England and Wales last year resulted in any charges, a fall from 15% three years ago. Separate figures showed an increase in violent crime and the lowest level of police officers in 22 years. Police Minister Nick Hurd claimed that the Government was ‘taking decisive action’.

Calls for Conservative chief whip and party chair to quit over pairing row
The Guardian reports that the Conservatives have admitted that the Chief Whip, Julian Smith, asked MPs to breach pairing agreements during a series of Brexit votes on Tuesday. Only party chair Brandon Lewis, paired with Lib Dem Jo Swinson who was on maternity leave, followed the instruction. Labour has called for both Lewis and Smith to resign.

MPs criticise Director of Public Prosecutions over disclosure failings
The Daily Telegraph carries details of a report by the Commons Justice Committee into the Crown Prosecution Service’s failures to disclose evidence in court cases. The committee’s chair, Bob Neill, said that if the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, had not already announced her departure, he would be asking her ‘to consider her position’. The report claims that she lacked ‘focus and leadership’ in tackling the issue.

Border taxes to be relaxed if ‘no deal’ Brexit happens
The Financial Times reports that Mel Stride, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, told a House of Lords sub-committee that the Government will tell officials to relax measures to collect taxes in order to help keep traffic flowing at borders in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit. However, Stride added that the Government would ‘not compromise on security’.

McVey admits universal credit problems
The Guardian says that Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey, admitted to problems with universal credit and suggested that further changes will be made, including debt repayment, supporting the self-employed and benefit payment cycles for working claimants.

Hancock tells doctors to ‘throw away their pagers’
The Daily Telegraph reports that Matt Hancock is to use his first speech as Health and Social Care Secretary to call for doctors and nurses to ‘throw away their pagers’ and use smartphone apps instead. Speaking at West Suffolk Hospital, he will outline three early priorities: ‘technology, the health and care workforce and prevention’.

Need help navigating the political landscape? Find out more about Vuelio Political Services and how they can help you. 

Think tank Awards

Centre for European Reform wins Prospect’s 2018 Think Tank of the Year award

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The Centre for European Reform took the main prize at Prospect‘s Think Tank awards this week as it won the Think Tank of the Year category [pictured]. The Igarapé Institute, a Brazilian Think Tank which examines security, justice and development challenges in Brazil, took home the One to Watch award, sponsored by Vuelio.

Other winners at the event, which was sponsored overall by Tata and held at the Institute of Directors in Central London on Tuesday, included the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Policy Exchange, the Institute for Government and the Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI).

Policy Exchange won best UK think tank in the Energy and Environment category, which was sponsored by Octopus Energy. The judges said its work paid ‘particular attention to the economic drivers behind effective environmental policies’ with research ranging from the role of future nuclear modular reactors to reducing vehicle emissions in Britain’s cities.

Other UK winners included the Institute for Government (Economic and Financial category), sponsored by Funding Circle, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (Social Policy category) and UK in a Changing Europe which won the UK – International category, sponsored by ABP.

The Prospect Think Tank awards, which were founded in 2001, are an ‘annual recognition of the important and influential work carried out by Think Tanks across the globe.’

A full list of the 2018 winners can be found here.

Boris

Political Headlines – Boris’ Brexit, Raab and Barnier, May’s Tour and Margaret Hodge

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Today’s Political Headlines includes BoJo’s claim that it’s not too late to save Brexit, Raab’s first meeting with Barnier, May’s tour of Britain and Labour’s conflict over whether to take action against Margaret Hodge. 

Johnson claims it is ‘not too late to save Brexit’
The Daily Telegraph reports that Boris Johnson used his resignation speech to claim that it was ‘not too late to save Brexit’ and described Theresa May’s Chequers plan as a ‘miserable, permanent limbo’. He criticised the Government for ‘a fog of self-doubt’ and for allowing Northern Ireland to ‘dominate the debate’, and called for a return to the approach set out by Theresa May at Lancaster House. The Sun suggests that Johnson had prepared a ‘much more damning version of the speech’ but was persuaded not to deliver it by allies.

Raab prepares for first meeting with Barnier amid ‘no deal’ warnings
As the BBC reports, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is to hold his first meeting with the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier today. It has also seen a draft European Commission paper warning of the impact of a ‘no deal’ Brexit on European businesses and citizens. The BBC adds that the National Audit Office has warned that millions of International Driving Permits may need to be issued in less than a year if the two parties don’t agree on mutual recognition of driving licences. The Financial Times claims that Raab is to publish 70 documents explaining how a ‘no deal’ Brexit would affect a range of sectors.

May plans tour of grassroots Conservatives
According to The Times, Theresa May is planning to go on a tour of grassroots Conservatives this summer in a bid to convince them to back her Brexit policy. Earlier this week, party chairman held a meeting with heads of local associations, described as ‘tense’ and ‘emotionally charged’. The Guardian adds that May struggled to explain her plan for post-Brexit customs when giving evidence to the Commons Liaison Committee yesterday.

Labour to take action against Margaret Hodge
According to The Guardian, the Labour Party is in ‘open conflict’ over a decision to take disciplinary action against Margaret Hodge after she called Jeremy Corbyn an antisemite. Separately, John Woodcock resigned from the party, claiming that an ongoing disciplinary process against him had been rigged.

Soldiers compensated for higher taxes in Scotland
The BBC reports that the Government is to give compensation to about 8,000 soldiers who face having to pay more income tax because they live in Scotland. The total cost will come to around £4m this year and the payments will be reviewed annually. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson criticised what he described as an ‘unfair raid’ on troops’ pay.

Schools to give lessons on mental health
The Times says that the Government plans to add lessons on mental health to new compulsory lessons on sex and relationships in all schools from autumn 2020. The proposals would also cover physical health, exercise and healthy eating. Education Secretary Damian Hinds said the policy would ensure ‘young people are ready for the adult world’.

Proposed rule change would grant anonymity to MPs accused of cheating expenses
The Daily Telegraph says the Government is attempting to quietly push through a change which would grant MPs accused of breaking expenses rules anonymity. As the paper notes, the news comes as DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr is given a 30-day suspension from the Commons for a breach of the rules.

Parliamentary committee warns of legal aid ‘deserts’
The Guardian carries details of a new report by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which warns that legal aid ‘deserts’ have emerged as a result of changes to the law in 2012. The report calls for an urgent review of how people can enforce their rights, changes to Legal Aid Agency’s funding scheme and more legal support for families at inquests.

Is Brexit crowding out the stories that matter to you? Vuelio Political Services offer bespoke reports on any political topic. 

Top 10 blogs

How does Vuelio decide its Top 10 Blog Ranking?

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How does Vuelio decide its weekly Top 10 blog ranking – or Top 20 or Top 50 – is a question we’re often asked; it comes from bloggers hoping to make the list (or disappointed because they didn’t), PRs looking to work with the UK’s best bloggers, and the media covering bloggers in every industry.

This post is designed to address some frequently asked questions, and misunderstandings, about the processes behind the weekly blog rankings and explain why they are so important to the blogging sector. 

What are top 10 blogs? 
Vuelio lists a weekly top 10 blog ranking (and occasionally a top 20, and one annual top 50) of the most influential blogs across a variety of markets, topics and interests – from fashion to fitness, politics to pets. We started publishing blog rankings in 2008 and the method we use has evolved massively to keep pace with the industry over the last 10 years.

How does it work? 
Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to rank all the media in our database. For the rankings, we (usually) put the ten most influential blogs in order after the automated results have been carefully reviewed by our team of in-house researchers. The methodology takes into consideration a vast number of factors including social sharing, topic-related content, post frequency, engagement, social media influence, traffic and interactivity. Unfortunately we cannot reveal the exact process for obvious reasons!

How often are the rankings updated? 
The Vuelio Media Database is constantly updating, as it draws on real-time information about media properties and the influencers responsible for them. We publish a ranking for a particular sector or area of interest once a week, and will try to refresh each ranking at least once a year so as not to leave old, out-of-date rankings lying around, cluttering up our site!

How does Vuelio decide the week’s ranking? 
We plan our ranking schedule on a quarterly basis. We try to keep things topical,  working around popular events, shows, festivals and holidays in the UK, while also acknowledging the popularity of individual rankings and focusing on particular sectors that are important to our overall business strategy. If you’d like to make a suggestion for a ranking, please tweet us @Vuelio.

How does it benefit bloggers? 
The rankings recognise and list the most influential bloggers from the topic and category their blogs fall into. It can be used by bloggers to their advantage in demonstrating how their blog ranks against others in their sector, and gives them publicity, both within the PR and marketing community and among the wider public. It’s not a guarantee to make you rich and famous, but that has been known to happen!

We also regularly feature our top bloggers, as well as others from the industry, on the Vuelio Blog in our Blogger Spotlight interview series.

How does it benefit Vuelio? 
The rankings allow Vuelio to demonstrate the power, strength and reach of its blogger database and research facilities while also strengthening our relationship with bloggers. The popularity of the rankings and the traffic they generate for our website have made them key elements of our overall marketing approach.

Our rankings also helps set a benchmark for the blogging industry and serve as a resource to our clients who are primarily in the PR and communications sector.

How can I sign my blog up? 
All blogs in our media database are considered for the rankings. To submit your blog to the database email [email protected] or submit this form.

 

This post was updated on 18 July 2018 to ensure it remains current and up-to-date. 

Diversity in Comms

Diversity in Comms webinar: PR can change recruitment processes to improve diversity says Kuldeep Mehmi of the Taylor Bennett Foundation

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The PR and communications industry must change its approach if it wants to recruit people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, says Kuldeep Mehmi, a graduate of the Taylor Bennett Foundation and director at FTI Consulting.

Our recent webinar Diversity in Comms, highlighted the work of the foundation, which is the PRCA’s charity of the year. Kuldeep was our guest and he said: ‘I think that it is more of a question of how you attract your candidate base. There is a number of things you can do; look back at where you advertise – maybe you can advertise in different places for the role, for example through a diversity charity like the Taylor Bennett Foundation.’

He also suggested that if using an external recruitment agency, employers should ask their recruiters to provide a more diverse candidate shortlist.
For the wider industry this might mean recruitment processes have to change as the challenge is attracting people who are ‘not going to actively seek out the communications industry’.

To do this, he added, the Taylor Bennett Foundation is actively seeking out speaking opportunities at Universities and schools to reach these audiences.

It also runs networking events and a 10-week ‘traineeship’ where the trainees get access to mentors in the industry and are taught about how different aspects of PR and communications work. ‘It was very intense and highly educational,’ Mehmi explained, having completed the course in 2012.

The traineeship helped him get his first role in PR with agency MHP.

‘It is very important to open those same doors for other people who want to enter the communications industry, people who don’t have a network to rely on,’ he said.

A recording of the webinar will be available next week.

Brexit

Political Headlines – Brexit, Boris, and antisemitism in the Labour party

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Today’s Political Headlines includes the latest Brexit voting drama, BoJo breaking the rules, Labour accused of antisemitism and Labour rejecting May’s Brexit plans.  

Government wins customs union vote
The Daily Telegraph claims that the Government used ‘desperate measures’ to defeat an amendment on the customs union last night. Potential rebels were warned that a Government defeat would lead to a motion of no confidence in Theresa May and the Government offered to table an amendment on a ‘customs arrangement’ in the Lords. The Government won by six votes, aided by Labour Brexiteers. Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson, who has recently given birth, complained that the Government broke an agreement under which she should have been ‘paired’ with Brandon Lewis. The Government did, however, lose a vote on the UK’s continued membership of the European Medicines Agency.

Johnson breaks rules on ex-ministers’ employment
According to the Daily Mail, Boris Johnson has broken rules which prevent former cabinet ministers from taking up new jobs for three months after leaving their post. The former Foreign Secretary also failed to seek clearance from Acoba, the appointments watchdog, before resuming his old role as a columnist for The Daily Telegraph.

Hodge attacks Corbyn over antisemitism decision
The Guardian says that Margaret Hodge called Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn an ‘antisemitic racist’ after the party’s National Executive Committee refused to abandon its new code of conduct on antisemitism. The decision has also been criticised by the Jewish Labour Movement, MPs including Wes Streeting, Ed Miliband and deputy leader Tom Watson, and Momentum founder Jon Lansman. A new consultation on the code will be opened.

Labour rejects May’s Brexit plans
Writing in the Daily Mirror, Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary, Keir Starmer, says that his party does not support Theresa May’s proposed deal with the EU, describing it as ‘fatally flawed’. Instead, he claims that Labour would deliver ‘a deal that works for Britain’, protecting ‘jobs, the economy and the union of our United Kingdom.’

Paisley faces ten day ban from Commons after breaching lobbying rules
The Sun reveals that DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr is facing a ten day suspension from the Commons after he broke rules on lobbying by going on a trip paid for by the Sri Lankan government in 2013 and later signing a letter in support of the country, without mentioning his visit. An announcement is due to be made today and, if confirmed, the suspension would be the longest to be imposed since 2008.

Andrew Griffiths was appointed as a minister despite being under investigation
In an exclusive, The Guardian claims that Andrew Griffiths, who resigned after sending explicit text messages to constituents, was made minister for small business despite already being under investigation after allegations of inappropriate touching and bullying were made against him.

Skills minister would advise children to ‘leave it a year’ before taking new qualification
The Times reports that Skills Minister Anne Milton told the Commons Education Committee that she would advise her children to ‘leave it a year’ before taking the new T-level qualification. In May, Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary, overrode a warning from his permanent secretary that the scheme would not be ready to launch in 2020.

Cladding ban insufficient, MPs say
The BBC carries details of a new report by the Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee that warns that a proposed Government ban on using combustible material in new high-rise buildings is not enough. The committee is calling for the ban to be extended to existing buildings and those under construction.

Lost in Brexit? See past the confusion, get Vuelio Political Services. 

BBC

Two sides to the story: is the BBC biased?

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A recent article from journalist Nick Cohen: ‘How the BBC Lost the Plot on Brexit’ for The New York Review of Books (NYR), accuses the BBC of ‘journalistic cowardice’ in regards to its coverage of Brexit. Accusations of bias at the BBC are not new, but it has taken the unusual move of responding, from its official media centre, with a letter from James Stephenson, news editor at BBC News and Current Affairs.

Here are both sides of the argument.

Biased
Cohen’s article lays out Brexit as he sees it – ‘There is no plan, and there never was a plan’. He criticises Nick Robinson, who said: ‘The day we broadcasters have to ‘broadly balance’ the views of the two sides is at an end. Why? Because there are no longer two sides.’

He points out the current distrust in the media, being driven by the likes of Trump and Putin, and how journalists need to oppose their agendas.

In an acerbic attack, Cohen writes: ‘The BBC’s reporting of the scandals around the Brexit referendum is not biased or unbalanced: it barely exists.’ He suggests that massive stories such as the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal, the Brexit campaign funding scandal and the exposure of Russian interference in British politics scandal were covered with ‘only the most perfunctory of reports’.

He writes that his colleague at the Observer, Carole Cadwalladr – a huge force in uncovering and reporting on the data scandals this year – offered BBC Panorama the chance to interview Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie, but the current affairs show turned it down as there was no ‘smoking gun’.

Cohen ends his article, suggesting the BBC may change its approach to Brexit as public opinion changes, but that ‘No one should praise journalists who speak out when, and only when, they are certain that public opinion is with them.’

Not biased
James Stephenson is more succinct in his reply, which is directed at the editor of the NYR. He claims that Cohen has ‘ignored a number of inconvenient facts’ and points out that when the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal broke, the BBC covered it on major news bulletins for 11 days in a row. Its business, economics, media and North America editors, as well as the technology correspondent, all reported on aspects of the story.

The BBC also interviewed the whistleblowers on multiple programmes.

He also explains the Panorama issue: ‘For Panorama to make a programme, it needed to be confident of the underlying evidence behind the whistleblowers’ claims. Panorama asked for access to all the evidence, but that was not forthcoming. Limitations were placed on the BBC’s own investigation of the allegations and constraints on who we could approach. In short, we did not have the scope to make a programme which met our standards of robust independent investigation in the time available.’

He goes on to write: ‘We do not expect our journalists to “say what they believe”, as Nick advocates. We ask them to report accurately, offer informed professional judgements and go wherever the evidence takes them.’

He finishes: ‘There can be few times in the BBC’s history when its journalism has mattered more. This is not an organisation frightened of journalism, but committed to it.’

So, is the BBC biased?
The BBC is in a unique position; funded by the public it must remain impartial – and when you attempt to report everything from all sides, you’re often seen as taking sides. We’ve presented both sides of this story, so you can decide if the BBC is biased yourself.

Theresa May

Political Headlines – Brexit plans, Vote Leave fined, MPs’ holiday and Labour diversity

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Today’s Political Headlines includes May’s Brexit plan on the brink of collapse, Vote Leave fined, MPs to vote on more holiday and Labour plans to increase candidate diversity. 

May’s Brexit plans ‘on brink of collapse’ after she gives way to Brexiteers
The Times asserts that Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal is ‘on the brink of collapse’ after she conceded to amendments put forward by Brexiteers, intended to block her customs proposals. However, Number 10 has disputed that the amendments would do this. Defence minister Guto Bebb resigned so that he could vote against the changes. Pro-remain rebels, who came close to defeating the Government last night, have suggested that they might vote for a new amendment to the trade bill today, which calls for the UK to remain in a customs union with the EU. The Sun says that Olly Robbins, Theresa May’s Brexit advisor, has succeeded in moving 50 Brexit negotiators from the Department for Exiting the European to the Cabinet Office, where they will report directly to him.

Vote Leave fined and referred to the police for breaking electoral law
As the BBC reports, the official pro-Brexit campaign Vote Leave has been fined £61,000 and referred to the police after the Electoral Commission found that it had overspent by almost £500,000 during the referendum. The campaign group was also found to have worked jointly with BeLeave (whose founder, Darren Grimes has been fined and referred to the police) and to have returned an ‘incomplete and inaccurate spending record’.

MPs to vote on beginning recess five days early
The BBC says that MPs will vote today on a proposal to start the summer recess on Thursday, five days early. Labour MPs have been critical, with Angela Rayner describing the proposal as ‘pathetic’ and David Lammy accusing the Government of having ‘run out of ideas’.

Labour plans new measures to increase candidate diversity
The Guardian reveals that Labour’s democracy review proposes compiling a legal case for reserving seats in local elections for female, minority ethnic and disabled candidates, and that the party campaigns to change the law to allow all-BAME shortlists for parliamentary seats. The proposals will be considered by the party’s National Executive Committee today.

Criticism of foreign aid as ‘corrupt’ is ‘valid’, admits senior civil servant
The Daily Telegraph says that Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Development, has claimed that criticism of overseas aid spending as ‘corrupt’ and wasteful is ‘valid’ and needs to be addressed. He said that one of his ‘big challenges’ was to explain why aid spending ‘is the right thing to do’.

OBR warns that NHS spending rise will increase pressure on public finances
According to the Financial Times, the Office for Budget Responsibility will today warn that the Prime Minister’s promise to increase NHS spending has increased pressure on public finances. As a result, there will need to be tax increases or spending cuts, otherwise borrowing will increase significantly in the 2020s.

Speaker will be covered by new harassment rules
The Guardian says that the Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, has said that new rules on bullying and harassment of staff will cover the Speaker. The new rules, which will be debated on Thursday, won’t cover behaviour prior to the June 2017 general election.

McVey trying to kill off online pensions dashboard
The Times claims that Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey may axe plans for an online dashboard to help people keep track of their pensions. Consultation on the proposals ended in March, but McVey is reported to believe that the service should not be the state’s responsibility and that it would distract from rolling out universal credit.

Is the Brexit bubble about the burst? The Vuelio Political Services team can keep you up to date with all the latest Brexit nuances. 

Queer Little Family

Exploring the LGBTQ blogging community with Bread Skalka

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Bread Skalka is behind Queer Little Family, the blog that was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK LGBT+ Blogs in the UK. Writing about life as a parent as well as other topics spanning LGBT+ and mental health. We caught up with Bread to talk about the LGBTQ blogging community, the LGBT Action Plan and working on campaigns she believes in.

What makes your blog unique?
We believe in stories over stuff so there aren’t many reviews or product placement. We don’t do a lot of brand stuff. We prefer real life and can be painfully honest at times and I think that makes us a little different. I’m an old school blogger in an influencers world, which can be a little difficult but I make it work. I want to inform and entertain, which is always a hard line to walk, but I think I manage it.

What’s the LGBT+ blogging community like to be part of?
It’s small and we tend to make up parts of other communities, like parenting blog communities or writing groups, and find each other that way. I work hard to include as many LGBTQ bloggers and writers on my blog and social media as possible. I want to highlight my peers as well as myself.

What’s the biggest issue facing the LGBT+ community today?
Getting past tolerance and into true equality. At least in the UK. In many places, we’re tolerated but that’s not enough. You tolerate things that annoy you, and we’re not an annoyance. The recent Stonewall survey conducted last year (which I definitely took part in) really shows how far we still have to go to get the equality we deserve. I think we really need to work on the suicide and self-harm risk to our LGBTQ youth. I used to self-harm and have attempted suicide and I actually have been pretty privileged in terms of family acceptance and suffering, from microaggressions to blatant homophobia.

Where is the best Pride event?
My favourite was Pride on The Prom in Aberystwyth a few years ago, which I’m hoping will come back in the future. Cardiff Pride is pretty good. Because of my anxiety and social phobia, I tend to avoid large crowds but as my mental health improves I hope to attend more in the future with my family.

What do you make of Theresa May’s LGBT Action Plan?
I’ll believe it when I see it. Theresa May doesn’t have the best history when it comes to LGBTQ issues and neither do the Conservatives. If she makes conversion therapy illegal that would be a good start because I couldn’t believe how many LGBTQ people had been offered it and had to go through it. An action plan is nice but we need the action now.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I’m not your typical blogger. I like working with smaller business, Welsh and LGBTQ ones in particular, and charities too. I’m also interested in things my son can experience as he is my main driving force for the blog and for my life.

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

What are the best campaigns or collaborations you’ve been part of?
I do some posts for the Woodland Trust that I enjoy because it’s something I really believe and definitely want to do more charity work/collaborations in the future.

Do bloggers need their own industry association?
I think so. Something that encompasses freelance blogging and influence marketing possibly. There are a lot of brands/PRs who will pay a pittance but get a great return. An association that could advocate for bloggers would be beneficial and stop things like influencers and business owners going viral for disagreeing over rates or reviews.

What other blogs do you read?
I read a few (a lot). A Moment With Franca, LesBeMums, Meet The Wildes (they have amazing pictures). Daddy and Dad is a great blog and Lydia Schoch is a wonderful writer. I also like Babi a Fi. I could go on and on. I’m not big on visual content but I read a lot. Also, Mombian is a great resource for LGBTQ families.

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Propeller Group

5 Pitch Tips from Ben Titchmarsh

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How’s your pitching? Are you reaching the most relevant media contacts in the right way? Or perhaps your relationships with journalists never seem to fully develop? One man who knows what a successful pitch looks like is Ben Titchmarsh, head of media and marketing at Propeller Group.

We spoke to Ben for our white paper – Media Relations in 2018 – and he revealed his top pitch tips for the modern PR.

1. Know your sector

Ben says: ‘Never underestimate the power of reading constantly and really immersing yourself in the sector you’re pitching to.’

There’s no point starting your pitch until you know your industry inside out. That means knowing the company you represent, its place in the market and any major trends that could affect the company or its clients. With a holistic view of the industry you’ll be able to provide rich and varied content to journalists who are, themselves, experts in the field.

2. Personalise your pitch

Ben says: ‘Always personalise your messaging because journalists can tell if you’ve mail merged. I tend to make a shorter media list and personalise every line of the message.’

This should be a given but it’s clear some PRs (surely­­ not readers of the Monday PR Club) are still aiming for quantity over quality. The short-term aim of your pitch may be to secure coverage, but you should really be focusing on the long-term goal of building a fruitful relationship.

Ben’s advice for anyone struggling to personalise a pitch is: ‘For subject lines, I would write ‘Hi [name], story for publication – [story title]’ and then in the first line I would reference another story they’ve done that was similar to my pitch.’

3. Write like a journalist

Ben says: ‘If you’re writing a press release, try to write it as a news story, which includes using the house style of the publication you’re pitching to.’

Journalists are overworked and understaffed; most don’t have time to take a template press release and turn it into a news story that fits their publication. If you write in the house style and lose unnecessary elements (for example LOCATION: DATE at the beginning of the release, and sales speak in the copy) it makes it much easier for the journalist to use your content.

4. Don’t hold the gold

Ben says: ‘I was once told that with an email pitch, you should imagine you have 100% of their attention for the first line, 50% for the second, 25% for the third, 12.5% for the fourth etc. That’s true, so don’t hold the gold; put what they need to know at the beginning.’

Your email may be more exciting if you tease a build up to what you’re sending but for a journalist, they may not read all the way to the pay-off. Again, they’re understaffed and overworked – don’t be too clever in the pitch, just make it clear why what you’re pitching is a great fit for them.

5. Make it exclusive

Ben says: ‘There’s also a benefit of scarcity with journalists – they love an exclusive. They will always google the story to see if it’s elsewhere, so if you say it’s an exclusive, mean it.’

If the same story is appearing in multiple publications then all you’re doing is making those outlets compete for audience share. And if the story has already appeared elsewhere, you’re making a publication play catch up. Obviously, it’s not always possible to make a story exclusive, but when you can – and when the audience is right – use it to your advantage.

 

Find out more about media relations in 2018, including relationship advice and how this affects the GDPR, by downloading our white paper here.