Today’s Political Headlines – 16 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include three billboards outside Grenfell Tower, Theresa May meeting Angela Merkel, Sinn Féin proving a power sharing deal could have been reached and the end(?) of UKIP.

Grenfell Tower billboards
Three billboards confronted Londoners with a reminder of the fire at Grenfell Tower yesterday, the Huffington Post has the story of the billboards that read ’71 dead and still no arrests, how come?’. The billboards were driven around with the intention of highlighting the lack of progress that has been made eight months since the fire. The billboards recreated a scene from the film ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’. The campaign appeared at Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral and the tower itself.

Theresa May to meet Angela Merkel
The BBC reports that Theresa May will travel to Berlin to hold talks with Angela Merkel. Merkel will be a key player in the UK’s attempt to agree the transition that will be in place once the UK leaves the EU. This meeting comes ahead of May making a speech at the Munich Security Conference where it is expected she will signal her intention to maintain the security partnership with the EU.

Sinn Féin provide papers that prove a power sharing deal could have been reached
The Guardian reports on claims made by Sinn Féin that they have documents that prove an agreement was in place for power-sharing in Northern Ireland to resume, only for the DUP to prevent this moving forward. The DUP denies the claims saying that an offer of an Irish language act was never on the table, Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald said that she tried to persuade the DUP leadership to close the deal before any opposition to it was voiced.

The end of UKIP?
Nigel Farage has admitted that UKIP may be on the verge of collapse, the Express runs the story as members of UKIP will vote on whether Henry Bolton should continue as leader this weekend. Farage conceded that the problems the party faces could be worse than the press realised due to branches closing and UKIP councillors choosing to run as independents in upcoming elections. UKIP also faces large legal bills from a libel case involving one of its MEPs.

EU Punishment clause removed
The Sun reports on the EU removing a punishment clause from the draft Brexit transition agreement which could have led to the UK being fined if it broke the EU’s rules. The EU27 agreed that the clause should be replaced with language that was less ‘tough-sounding’, this change comes ahead of the UK and EU beginning negotiations on the terms of the transition next month.

Liverpool prison the worst inspectors have ever seen
The Independent reports on an ‘abject failure’ to improve the prison two years after a warning that it was not safe. A report by the Justice select committee has revealed the Government is not acting on prison inspections and a deterioration in conditions is continuing. MPs on the committee want the prison inspectorate to be given additional resources so they can follow up on the recommendations they make.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 15 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include calls to end rough sleeping, Boris Johnson’s speech on Brexit, and the breakdown of talks to restore a Northern Ireland Executive. 

 

Calls for Government action following the death of a rough sleeper outside Parliament

The Guardian have reported that MPs have expressed sadness after learning that a man believed to have been sleeping rough had died outside the Houses of Parliament. Numerous Labour MPs have responded on twitter, drawing attention to the man’s death and criticise policies they said had contributed to a sharp rise in the number of rough sleepers in the UK.

Boris Johnson’s Policy Exchange speech called for “hope not fear” in the UKs departure from the EU

The BBC reports that the Foreign Secretary has told his fellow Brexiteers they should not “gloat” about the UK’s departure from the EU, which he said was a cause for “hope not fear”. He has urged people to “unite about what we all believe in”, an “outward-looking, confident” UK, and that leaving the EU was not a “great V-sign from the cliffs of Dover”. The Guardian reports that Johnson’s speech struggled to woo remainers, and used his speech to try to simultaneously reach out to remainers while doubling down on his arguments in favour of a hard break from the EU.

Jean-Claude Juncker denies claims by Boris Johnson that he wants to create a European “superstate”

The Independent reports that President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker has said that claims he wants to create a European “superstate” are “total nonsense”. He said that the President of the European Commission should be directly elected by the voters of Europe.

Talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein broken down in attempts to strike a Northern Ireland deal

Sky News are reporting that talks between the leaders of Northern Ireland’s two biggest political parties to re-establish a government in Stormont have broken down. DUP leader Arlene Foster said there was “no prospect” of negotiations leading to a new power sharing agreement with Sinn Fein. The Telegraph have reported on comments made by former Northern Ireland Secretary, Theresa Villiers, saying that Westminster being forced to set Northern Ireland’s budget is “increasingly inevitable”.

British Steel pensions scheme is a victim to a major mis-selling scandal

The Financial Times have reported that British Steel pension savers were “shamelessly” exploited by “dubious financial advisers” after a restructuring of the scheme last year, drawing upon a report by the Work and Pensions Select Committee that sharply criticised the Pensions Regulator and Financial Conduct Authority. The Times have reported that more than 50,000 British workers may be being cheated out of part of their pension each year.

Tories blame the SNP for Scotland’s productivity falling to its lowest level in eight years

The Times have run a story explaining how Scotland’s productivity has fallen to its lowest level in eight years, with opposition politicians have claimed showed that the SNP administration was damaging the economy. The report, published by the Scottish Government, suggested that the financial crisis of 2008 had taken a long time to work its way through and the effects were still being felt within the Scottish economy.

Reports suggesting that Jeremy Corbyn met a communist spy at the height of the Cold War

The Sun have run a story which found that Jeremy Corbyn met a Communist spy during the Cold War and warned the Soviet-backed spies of a clampdown by British intelligence during the height of the war. The Daily Mail have also run a similar story, claiming that  Corbyn met the Czech agent at least three times after being vetted in 1986, with two meetings taking place in the House of Commons.

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GDPR

How to comply with GDPR

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GDPR becomes law on 25 May. That means every business will have to change the way they handle personal data – from getting consent for email newsletters and using information from social media to cold calling and storing contact details.

GDPR can seem confusing, and with fines for getting it wrong reaching £17m or more, the consequences are severe.

Thankfully, compliance is pretty straightforward, and it is easy to make sure your processes follow the new rules.

We’ve put together a simple whitepaper that makes it easy to see what is required and what you need to do to comply. Download the whitepaper here.

GDPR is being implemented to give people more control over their own personal data and knowledge over which companies and businesses are storing what. As it applies to ALL personal data, including employee data collected by an employer, there are few businesses that the new rules won’t apply to.

So, whether your data processing falls under ‘legitimate interests’ or ‘consent’, we’ve got you covered.

You may need to review your current tools to make sure they’re GDPR compliant. Not only is Vuelio’s database GDPR compliant, our tools allow you to be GDPR compliant. Our Stakeholder Management Suite allows you to track (with time stamps) interactions, including when and where data was collected from. So, if the regulator needs to see your compliance, it’s all available in one place.

Find out more about stakeholder management.

Today’s Political Headlines – 14 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include Boris Johnson’s Brexit speech, Labour’s animal welfare plan, McVey’s call for McDonnell to apologise and the Oxfam crisis. 

Boris Johnson to reach out to voters alienated over Brexit in speech today
Boris Johnson is to give a speech on Brexit today, with the BBC reporting that he will try to reach out to voters alienated by Brexit, claiming ‘that Brexit is not grounds for fear but hope’. The Daily Telegraph reports that Johnson will argue that ‘It is only by taking back control of our laws that UK firms and entrepreneurs will have the freedom to innovate’ and that stopping Brexit ‘would be a disastrous mistake’.

Labour to unveil animal welfare plan today
Labour is to unveil a new 50-point animal welfare plan today. The Guardian reports that the party would introduce bans on foie gras and badger culling, further curbs on hunting with dogs, mandatory CCTV at abattoirs, and a ban on the export of live animals for slaughter. Other measures include expanding healthcare for pets with owners on low-incomes and greater rights for tenants to own pets.

McVey calls for McDonnell to apologise over ‘lynching’ comments
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey has called on John McDonnell to apologise for making comments at a comedy night about people in her constituency who wanted her to be lynched. She said that his refusal to apologise had given people ‘permission’ to bully her online.

Oxfam chief executive ‘should go’, says committee member
Nigel Evans, a Conservative member of the International Development Committee, has said that Mark Goldring, Oxfam’s chief executive, ‘should go’, The Times reports. The paper adds that both Lord Hague and Jeremy Corbyn have called for ministers not to cut the aid budget as a result of the scandal surrounding the charity. 

Times tables tests to be introduced
According to The Daily Telegraph, the new Education Secretary Damian Hinds will announce today that children as young as eight will be forced to take times tables tests for the first time in 75 years. Schools Minister Nick Gibb told the paper that this was part of the Government’s drive to make the UK a world leader in mathematics.

Committees criticise delays to immigration plan and disability assessment firms
A report by the Home Affairs Committee finds that delays to the Government’s white paper on the post-Brexit immigration system are causing anxiety for EU citizens and uncertainty for businesses, The Guardian says. Meanwhile, The Sun has details of a report by the Work and Pensions Committee criticising firms which assess disability benefits, whose staff are ‘at best lacking in competence and at worst actively deceitful’.

UK fails to hit defence spending target, report claims
The Financial Times has details of a report by the Institute for Strategic Studies that concludes the UK has missed its target of spending 2% of GDP on defence for the second year in a row. Instead, it calculates the figure as 1.98%. The report is released as Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson meets fellow NATO members in Brussels.

DUP leader says no to a free-standing Irish Language Act
The BBC reports that Arlene Foster, leader of the DUP, has said there will not be a free-standing Irish Language Act. Sinn Fein has said that such an act is ‘essential’ to restoring power sharing at Stormont. Foster refused to comment on reports that a package with three acts on Irish, Ulster Scots and other cultural matters was under discussion.

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Disguise

Bloggers and Brands Beware

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Usually we’re discussing the issue of fake followers, but this week another issue has come to light – fake influencers.

The Blogger Agent, an agency that connects brands and influencers, published a tweet warning about fake influencers:

The issue is not a new one, Em Sheldon of Emtalks has previously written a post about this back in 2015. For the fraudsters, the appeal is simple – pretend to be a top influencer, write to brands and ask for samples, freebies and, in some cases, money. Not only is impersonating someone illegal, but misleading a company or brand for gain is fraud and also illegal.

So, what can be done?

Bloggers
For the most part, for the fraud to ‘work’, the scammers use their own email address and physical address for the items to be sent to. Everything else – website and social handles – will belong to the target blogger.

If you display your email address on your blog, then it should be easy for brands to spot fraudulent requests. But this requires a lot of additional work on the part of the brand – and if they’re set up to receive requests, the chances are their blogger outreach is based on incoming communications rather than external research.

Therefore, keep up to date on the leading blogger database, so brands know you’re the real deal – update your details here and a Vuelio researcher will be in touch to verify.

Also think about making your practices clear on your blog – including your email and how you work with people. If you get ANY notifications about working with brands you don’t think you’ve instigated (and they think you did), take it seriously and ask to see the request the brand received.

Blog about it, so other brands can be made aware that you’ve fallen victim to a fraudster, and also report it to Action Fraud.

Brands
Due diligence and extra research steps should help stamp this out. If you accept requests from bloggers, you should double check every single one. Check their website, align details and make sure the person is who they say they are.

Obviously, an easy way to do this is to use the Vuelio Influencer Database – our human research team verifies every listing and does all the complicated research for you – so you can contact (and quickly check incoming contacts from) bloggers, without concern.

If you do get requests that seem fraudulent, tell the genuine influencer. They’ll want to know if someone is pretending to be them, and you can work together to report it.

Bloggers should be seen as collaborating partners and that partnership should be based on a strong relationship. Influencers prefer long term collaborations – it gives them a better sense of your brand and aims, and allows creativity to flourish. As such, sending free samples to bloggers may seem like a quick win in the short term, but it is those that work together on building something truly excellent that will benefit in the long term.

If your brand wants to improve influencer outreach, and reach the right people in the right way, talk to one of our experts here.

Unilever

Unilever threatens to withdraw digital adverts

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Unilever, the giant multinational with brands including Marmite, Persil, PG Tips and Dove, has threatened to remove its digital advertising from platforms that fail to appropriately deal with content that ‘creates division in society and promotes anger and hate’.

Keith Weed, chief marketing and communications officer at Unilever, has told the IAB Annual Leadership Meeting: ‘As one of the largest advertisers in the world, we cannot have an environment where our consumers don’t trust what they see online.

‘We cannot continue to prop up a digital supply chain – one that delivers over a quarter of our advertising to our consumers – which at times is little better than a swamp in terms of its transparency.

‘It is in the digital media industry’s interest to listen and act on this. Before viewers stop viewing, advertisers stop advertising and publishers stop publishing.’

As Campaign points out, this speech is one year on from Marc Pritchard’s at the same event. The Procter & Gamble chief brand officer told the industry to clean up the ‘murky, at best, and fraudulent, at worst’ digital ecosystem. P&G then went on to slash its digital ad spend by $100m – and saw no negative impact on its business.

Unilever is second only to P&G in terms of global marketing budget – last year spending €7.7bn on advertising.

While Weed stopped short of specifically naming a platform or service, it’s easy to make the links to Facebook and Google, which between them account for 60% of digital ad spend and 90% of all new digital spend.

Both platforms continue to face pressure across the world for the content they host and allow to spread, from extremist propaganda to inappropriate videos for children.

This content is reflected in Weed’s speech – he went on to say: ‘Fake news, racism, sexism, terrorists spreading messages of hate, toxic content directed at children – parts of the internet we have ended up with is a million miles from where we thought it would take us.’

While the government investigations in the US, UK and other EU countries are problematic for the tech giants, it is unhappy advertisers that have the power to hit these companies where it hurts – their revenues and, subsequently, their market values.

And with the looming threat of GDPR – which means platforms will have to make it clear that user data is for sale – change is now a necessity.

Today’s Political Headlines – 13 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the continuing Oxfam fallout, Philip Hammond’s Brexit charm offensive, Boris Johnson’s call for regulatory divergence and UK and US in dispute over ISIS ‘Beatles’. 

Oxfam fallout continues, with threats to funding
The response to Oxfam’s handling of a sex scandal in Haiti in 2011 has continued, as the BBC reports. Penny Lawrence (the charity’s deputy chief executive) has quit, Helen Evans (the charity’s former global head of safeguarding) has made further allegations, and the Charity Commission is to launch an investigation. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has given Oxfam until the end of the week to explain how it will handle any future allegations or it will lose funding from the Government.

Philip Hammond starts Brexit charm offensive
The Daily Telegraph says that Philip Hammond is today embarking on a Brexit charm offensive, amid concerns that France is deliberately stalling negotiations. He is scheduled to visit Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal, while David Davis will visit other European allies. The Sun reports that the UK is set to concede that the transition period will end on 31 December 2020.

Boris Johnson to call for regulatory divergence from EU
The Guardian reports that Boris Johnson is to use his speech on Brexit tomorrow to set out a ‘liberal vision’ for Brexit. He will call on leave and remain voters to unite and use Brexit for economic advantage by diverging on regulations from the EU. The paper warns that this ‘could raise fears about plans for deregulation after Brexit’.

UK and US in dispute over ISIS ‘Beatles’
According to The Times, the US and the UK are in a diplomatic row over the fate of two captured ISIS members suspected of being members of ‘The Beatles’, suspected of involvement in the beheading of over 27 people. The United States has ruled out detaining the men at Guantanamo Bay, but Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, does not want the men, who have been stripped of their British citizenship, to stand trial in the UK.

New tool to block extremist content
The BBC says that the Government has unveiled a tool that can accurately detect jihadist content and prevent it from being viewed. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said that she would not rule out forcing technology companies to use it by law.

May calls for ‘one final push’ in Northern Ireland
According to The Daily Telegraph, Theresa May has called on the leaders of Northern Ireland’s main political parties to make ‘one final push’ to restore power sharing at Stormont. The Prime Minister said there was the ‘basis of an agreement’ and that the executive could be ‘up and running very soon’.

Committee calls for energy price cap to be introduced urgently
A report by the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee concludes that the Government’s proposed cap on energy bills should be introduced urgently, the BBC reports. According to the committee, the legislation should be passed by the summer recess, allowing it to come into force before the end of the year.

Nursing bursary cuts discourage students, Government report says
An article in The Mirror reveals that a Government impact assessment published yesterday admits that cutting more nursing bursaries risks discouraging women and mature students. The paper reports that this follows the Government’s decision on Friday to cut further bursaries.

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Politics on Sunday – 11 February 2018

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This Sunday, the political shows offered up guests from across the political spectrum and yet one of the biggest headlines was that Andrew Marr – a man who has been interviewing and reassuring guests for over 10 years – was caught on mic saying that Penny Mordaunt gave a good interview.

Guests who featured on yesterday’s political shows included Penny Mordaunt, Andrew Gwynne, Chuka Umunna, Anna Soubry, Henry Bolton, Alastair Campbell, John McDonnell, Neale Richmond and David Gauke.

International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, was the guest who faced the most pressing questions in the wake of the scandal surrounding Oxfam. Mordaunt sent a strong message to the charity saying that funding will be withdrawn if it does not comply fully with the authorities. This was also a wider warning to aid charities that if they don’t protect vulnerable people they face the risk of losing Government funding. Mordaunt confirmed she is still chipper about the prospects for Brexit and rejected Marr’s suggestion that she and her fellow pro-Brexit MPs misled the public into thinking it would be an easy process. Mordaunt also said that in the coming week more meat will be put on the Brexit bone. At the end of the interview Marr told her the interview was ‘very good’ – which inevitably led to people voicing concerns at the political standpoint of the BBC.

Supporters of the EU, Anna Soubry and Chuka Umunna appeared together on Andrew Marr’s sofa to show a united cross-party image for Remain. Soubry went as far to say that she thinks there is a majority in the House of Commons who are against the UK leaving the Customs Union and the single market. Soubry also welcomed the fact that ideologically she was closer to Labour MP Umunna than her fellow Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg. This was not the last mention of Jacob Rees-Mogg as Umunna said he cannot imagine Jeremy Corbyn instructing Labour MPs to vote the same way as some of the Brexiteers.

UKIP leader Henry Bolton also took questions from Marr. Bolton unsurprisingly does not want UKIP to have a leadership election. His reasoning was that if another leadership election took place then UKIP would not be able to shape the Brexit deal.

Appearing on Peston, Alastair Campbell raised concerns for the aid budget saying that due to the scandal surrounding Oxfam, figures on the right of British politics will use the scandal to further their aims and attempt to reduce aid spending. Campbell had his advice on Brexit rejected by John McDonnell, with the Shadow Chancellor accusing Campbell of ‘threatening politics’. James Cleverley suggested this was hypocritical, on Twitter.

Work and Pensions Secretary, David Gauke, represented the Government on Peston and he faced questions on whether Philip Hammond has been silenced by Theresa May after it was revealed that he would not be one of the Ministers ‘putting meat on the Brexit bone’. Gauke said the Chancellor not giving a speech ‘doesn’t mean the Chancellor is not expressing his views internally in the Cabinet’.

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Facebook

5 Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed

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Trinity Mirror buying the Express, Theresa May’s press review, Facebook’s age issue, Poundland’s banned ads and John Humphreys – are you up-to-date with everything that’s happened from the world of PR, media and communications? Here’s five things you shouldn’t have missed.

1. Trinity Mirror buys Daily Express publisher

Trinity and Northern and ShellTrinity Mirror has paid £126.7m for Northern & Shell’s publishing assets, including the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, OK! And New!. That means the owner of the (left-wing) Daily Mirror now owns the (right-wing) Daily Express.

It hopes to make £20m savings on the deal – the biggest cost-cutting coming from overlapping editorial skills; for example, having just one journalist at a sporting event. This pooling of talent won’t extend to politics though, as each paper Trinity Mirror owns will keep its current stance.

Trinity Mirror now also boasts 234m global unique readers online – a huge asset the company will now be looking to capitalise on.

 

2. Theresa May launches sustainability of the press review

Prime ministerThe Prime Minister has announced a review into the sustainability of the press. A panel of experts will be looking at the health of the newspaper industry, how it is being affected by a decline in print circulations, funding models for printing, and how the industry is being impacted by Google and Facebook. The review will also investigate ‘clickbait’ and attempt to ‘tackle’ and ‘undermine’ it.

May said the closure of titles was a ‘danger to our democracy’. Her speech announcing the review focused on local titles, but the investigation will take in every level of the press industry to determine if the Government needs to implement measures or if the industry can sort itself out.

 

3. Out with young, in with the old

Facebook no notificationsFacebook has a youth problem. The platform isn’t cool anymore (anymore?), and a new survey from eMarketer has found that teens and young adults are leaving the platform in favour of Instagram (which Facebook owns) and increasingly Snapchat (which it doesn’t). The survey predicts 700,000 fewer 12-24 year olds will use Facebook in 2018.

On the plus side, 500,000 new over-55s are expected to join Facebook this year, making it the second-biggest demographic on the network (behind 16-34 year olds). While this group is lucrative for some advertisers (who are chasing the grey pound), eMarketer believes they’re on the platform to keep up with their children and grandchildren. If the kids go, parents might follow.

This is the latest of Facebook’s problems, which have recently included the News Feed and Fake News.

 

4. ASA bans Poundland’s Elf on the Shelf ads

Elf behaving badlyPoundland’s risqué Christmas social media ads, that featured the popular children’s character Elf on the Shelf in a variety of poses (some sexual, some demeaning to women), have been banned from appearing again by the Advertising Standards Authority. Poundland argued the adverts were based on humour and double entendres, were made so as not to be understood by children and suggested Twitter and Facebook’s minimum age of 13 for users stopped children accessing them.

The ASA ruled the ads could still be seen by children, they were not on age-gated pages and in at least two instances were demeaning to women. For Poundland’s part, the ban may have been worth it, as the very low-budget campaign yielded great financial results. Poundland has also launched a campaign to reverse the decision so their naughty Elf ads can appear again next year.

 

5. John Humphreys flustered by Jo Swinson
John Humphreys was caught out last week when interviewing Jo Swinson, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats. In an interview about sexual harassment and conduct in parliament, Swinson blindsided Humphreys by asking if he had apologised to Carrie Gracie (after audio emerged of he and John Sopel making light of the gender pay gap). Humphreys, said he had, but was clearly annoyed by the question and said it was irrelevant to the discussion. Watch the exchange below:

Today’s Political Headlines – 12 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the immigration systems post-Brexit, allegations against Oxfam, Boris’ Brexit speech outgunned and George Soros pledging a further £100,000 to anti-Brexit campaign. 

Home Office may not have new systems ready for Brexit and whistleblowers reveal the asylum ‘lottery’
According to The Times, Theresa May has overruled the Home Office to insist that EU citizens who arrive during the Brexit transition period will not have the automatic right to remain in the UK, despite warnings from senior officials that they would struggle to create separate systems to register existing EU citizens and new arrivals in time. Separately, Home Office whistleblowers have told The Guardian that the asylum process is a ‘lottery’, with interviews ‘rushed, biased and resolved by “cut and paste” decisions by overworked Home Office staff’.

Oxfam to meet International Development Secretary over abuse allegations
The BBC reports that senior managers at Oxfam are to meet International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt later today to tell her more about allegations that the charity’s staff used prostitutes in Haiti in 2011. Mordaunt’s predecessor, Priti Patel, tells The Sun that officials ‘at the highest levels’ knew about abuse claims but tried to keep them hushed up.

Cabinet ministers to ‘outgun’ Boris Johnson’s Brexit speech
The Times says that Boris Johnson’s Cabinet colleagues are planning to ‘outgun’ his speech on Brexit this week, by following it up with five further speeches. These include two from the Prime Minister on security and the future partnership, one from David Davis on business, one from Liam Fox on global deals, and one from David Lidington on the devolved nations. May will say that the UK wishes to keep the European arrest warrant and stay in Europol.

George Soros pledges extra £100,000 to anti-Brexit campaign
George Soros’ Open Society Foundation is to pledge an extra £100,000 to the pro-EU group Best for Britain, The Guardian says. He linked the increased donation to the campaign against him in the right-wing press, saying ‘I am happy to take the fight to those who have tried to use a smear campaign, not arguments, to prop up their failing case’.

Theresa May flies to Northern Ireland amid hopes of power-sharing deal
The Guardian reports that Theresa May is to fly to Belfast today, amid hopes that Northern Ireland’s main political parties are close to reaching a deal to restore power-sharing in the executive. She will be joined by Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach, who has cancelled a meeting with the Welsh First Minister.

Diesel trains to be scrapped by 2040
Rail Minister Jo Johnson, is to announce today that every diesel train in the country should be scrapped by 2040, The Daily Telegraph says. This forms part of plans to cut pollution on the rail network, but the Government has not specified how this will be paid for.

DWP spends over £100m on disability benefit appeals over two years
According to The Guardian, the Department for Work and Pensions spent over £100m on administering reviews and appeals against disability benefits in just over two years. The Ministry of Justice also spends tens of millions on the reviews. Neil Heslop, chief executive of Leonard Cheshire, described the amounts as ‘staggering’.

Transport for London’s operational deficit expected to reach £1bn
The Financial Times reports that Transport for London is expecting an operational deficit of nearly £1bn next year. This has been caused by the Government removing a revenue grant, Sadiq Khan’s decision to freeze fares, and falling passenger numbers, attributed to increased working from home, use of ride-hailing apps, and safety concerns.

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Relevance International

New Global Client for Relevance International

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Relevance International has been named the global public relations agency for The Royal Atlantis Residences in Dubai. The pitch win followed months of a strategic, global public relations pitch, culminating in a three-day presentation in Dubai.

The property, opening in late 2019, will be the first ‘super prime’ branded residences in the Dubai residential market and is the first opportunity for residential ownership within the existing Atlantis portfolio.

Located on the crescent of The Palm, the luxe 43-story building will offer 231 residences, with a hotel in the west wing providing a further 795 guest rooms and suites. The property offers more than 90 swimming pools as well as several design ‘firsts.’

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) of New York designed the exterior, while interiors of each deluxe residence have been designed by Paris-based Sybille de Margerie. Hotel guest room and suite interiors are being designed by London-based GA Design. David Mexico Design Group has created Dubai’s newest icon, a sky-high infinity Sky Pool, elevated at 295-feet. The property includes another ground-level water feature with jaw-dropping fire and water elements by Californian master creators, WET Design.

Maria Morris, partner at Knight Frank Middle East said, ‘We selected Relevance International as our public relations firm for The Royal Atlantis Residences knowing they will be an invaluable strategic and creative global communications partner for us, positioning Dubai as the global destination of choice for luxurious lifestyles. This project will not only be best-in-class for Dubai but will certainly elevate the standard for luxury residences worldwide, and we know Relevance is the right firm to support us with its proven track record of representing high end real estate around the world.’

Suzanne Rosnowski, CEO and founder of Relevance International said, ‘Winning The Royal Atlantis Residences project is a dream come true. Not only is the property truly a global game-changer, but the caliber of its management, developer and sales and marketing team are truly in a league of their own. From our offices in New York and London, along with our carefully curated worldwide affiliate network, we are delighted to bring The Royal Atlantis Residences the attention it deserves globally.’

Formerly known as Relevance New York, Relevance International’s team has over a century of PR experience representing the very best in real estate, luxury goods, hospitality, design and corporate clients. With a dedicated social media strategist on staff, the firm offers a seamless boutique level of client service on a global scale.

Relevance International

Trinity and Northern and Shell

Trinity Mirror buys Daily Express, Daily Star and OK!

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Trinity Mirror has agreed a deal worth £126.7m for the publishing assets of Northern & Shell. The purchase includes the titles the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, OK!, New! And Star.

The sale brings Richard Desmond’s 18-years in charge of the titles to an end, and follows the sale of his other assets including Channel 5 in 2015 and the adult television network Portland in 2016. He still owns the Health Lottery and is rumoured to be contemplating a bid for a licence to run the National Lottery.

Desmond paid £125m for the Express titles in 2000, and the lack of price rise reflects the struggles the print industry faces. Simon Fox, chief executive of Trinity Mirror, defies this viewpoint though and told the Today programme: ‘It’s a very wise investment. We’ve had plenty of time to think about this carefully.’

Northern & Shell did report a £34m profit last year, but as Press Gazette points out, traditional media is a dying business model, as the group has only sold for five times profit, whereas Twitter – which made losses of £2bn since launch – has a market capitalisation of over £20bn.

Fox also suggested cost-cutting measures, which may include a number of job losses: ‘For example, [instead of] sending two reporters to a football game, we can send one.’ The savings are expected to be around £20m a year (which does make the deal look like a very wise investment).

And for those concerned about the editorial output of the titles, the cost-cutting, single-reporter-at-an-event measures won’t stretch to politics. Fox explained that allegiances of the papers wouldn’t change: ‘The Daily Express is not going to become left-wing and the Mirror is not going to become right-wing.’

Nationally, Trinity Mirror is now responsible for a daily circulation of over 1.3m across three titles (though this still falls short of The Sun’s circulation). It also has hundreds of other regional and local titles, including the Manchester Evening News and Birmingham Post, and is the UK’s biggest regional newspaper group.

Online, the group will now boast 234m global uniques, which is massive. But turning those numbers into profit (and a reliable part of the business model) is something every publisher is still struggling with, and there is no agreement on what will work. Now the merger has been agreed, expect months of turmoil and changes across the UK’s media industry.

Mummy in Manolos

Blogger Spotlight: Lizzie Owen, Mummy in Manolos

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This is the second part of our interview with Lizzie Owen, who is both a freelance PR and blogger. You can read her PR Spotlight here. Lizzie started blogging out of a necessity to understand how bloggers work and their needs from a PR perspective.

In this Blogger Spotlight, Lizzie talks to us about being a Progger (we’re making it a thing), working with PR as a blogger and the joy of Frozen.

Why did you start your blog?
While I was working with Portrait Communications, they were handling John Lewis toys and Steiff Teddies. I was contacting parent bloggers for reviews, and found it a totally different type of approach than for press. For a start, they didn’t work the same hours, so response was normally a day later, as they have jobs to go to, lived outside of London and had their own terms and conditions. It was a completely new world.

I met an awesome blogger during this time (2010) called Sian To, who was running a blogging conference called Cybermummy, which she invited me to. I accepted and fell into the world of blogging and set up Mummy in Manolos as a way of understanding it all, almost like some sort of experiment. Then I became one of the bloggers I was approaching, while networking and becoming friends with some of the UK’s top influencers from the other side of the fence. This led to helping Sian with Cybher, collaborating with Molly Makes and my client Home Barn, organising blogger workshops and becoming familiar within this world because I was a blogger too! So I was the PR AND the Blogger….Progger !?!

I loved it, but because my PR business was becoming so busy, my blogging took a bit of a backseat, and I didn’t keep up with it. I wish I had now, as I see so many of my friends doing so well, like the lovely Kate Watson-Smyth and Will Taylor!

How do you work with PRs as a blogger?
Because I’m a PR, I like to approach the brands personally. I know never expect to be given anything in return, especially at this stage, as I’ve only just really got back on it again. I’m not that keen to re-write a brand’s SEO key words though, as it really doesn’t suit my style of writing, and it looks like a sponsored post as it’s not in my voice (I’d hate to ruin my blog by allowing brands to use it just as an SEO platform). Hence why I make that move and approach brands who create products and events I am personally passionate about. I like a PR to approach me with something that fits my brand, because they’ve noticed my Instagram posts, (@mummyinmanolos you lovely lot), or have checked old posts and are familiar with my style. And clearly, I’m quite empathetic when I’m approached, as I do what they do. In fact, they inspire me, and I gain invaluable insight when I am approached. I’m always fascinated by the new and exciting ways to engage bloggers with fun and interactive events.
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What’s your favourite thing to blog about?
Originally, this all started out as something to do while I was on Mat Leave, and I absolutely adore Vivienne Westwood and Manolo Blahnik, so you’d think it would be all about fashion and shoes. But actually, I’ve found that as I’ve matured, so many things have become much more of a passion, and I’m hugely into holistic healing, but with a twist. Whatever I talk about has to have cool branding and a beautiful aesthetic with genuine soul to it. I go on a bit about yoga, holistic healing, interiors, fitness, art, food, festivals – so life and style!

What collaborations have you enjoyed working on?
As a blogger, it had to be the private screening of the film Frozen when it first launched in the UK. Disney had organised for the producers of Frozen to fly over from LA for the BAFTAs, Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck who had just won an award, then attended the Soho Hotel cinema screening, with a Q&A session at the end. My little girls just curled into complete shyness when it came to that part, bless them. In fact, so did I! But, it was such an honour considering little ones are still singing ‘Let it go’ to this day! I’ll never forget my smallest Poppy giving Chris Buck a picture of Elsa she’d drawn for him as a thank you.

What other blogs do you read?
So many have come and gone, but my absolute favourites are: Mad About The House; Dear Designer; Arianna’s Daily; Bright Bazaar; The Brand Stylist; Design Sheppherd; Coco’s Tea Party; and Poppy Loves. There are so many incredible blogs out there, it’s fantastic so many are now giving it a go. I love the community!

 

Lizzie Owen and Mummy in Manolos are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Today’s Political Headlines – 9 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the crackdown on unpaid internships, Barnier’s Labour memo, a riled David Davis and donors paying to meet ministers at the Conservative Black and White Ball.   

Crackdown on unpaid internships launched
In an exclusive, The Guardian reveals that the Government has launched a crackdown on unpaid internships. Companies have been sent more than 550 warning letters, and enforcement teams have been created to tackle repeat offenders. HMRC is expected to target sectors with a track record of using unpaid interns, including the media, performing arts, law and accountancy.

Barnier memo raises questions about Labour’s Brexit policy
The Daily Telegraph reports that a memo circulated by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier after meeting Jeremy Corbyn raises questions about Labour’s Brexit policy. According to the memo, Corbyn said that he was open to remaining in the customs union and said that he would run negotiations ‘very differently’. Labour, however, claim Corbyn instead said ‘a customs union was a viable end point’. Separately, The Guardian says that 30 pro-EU MPs and campaigners have written to the party’s national executive committee calling for a membership consultation on the party’s Brexit policy.

EU being ‘discourteous’ says David Davis
The Times says that Brexit Secretary David Davis has criticised the EU for being ‘discourteous’, with a source close to him telling the paper that the draft legal text of the transition period published by the EU was ‘deliberately inflammatory and designed to provoke a reaction’. The source also described this week’s talks as frustrating. The Sun claims that the UK is to reject the EU’s demand that Brussels sets fishing quotas during the transition period.

Donors pay to meet ministers at Conservative Black and White Ball
The Mirror reports on the Conservative Party’s Black and White Ball, which was held on Tuesday. It says that the Prime Minister told guests that she wanted to ‘defeat socialism’. For the last two years there has been a ban on auctioning access to cabinet ministers, but that was lifted this year and The Times reveals that a donor paid £55,000 to spend a day with Theresa May.

Gina Miller accuses group she founded of being ‘undemocratic’
The Daily Telegraph has spoken to the founder of the pro-EU campaign group Best for Britain, Gina Miller, who accuses it of being ‘undemocratic’. Miller said the public had the ‘right to know’ who was backing the organisation and that it should not aim to bring down the Government.

Draft EU agreement would see Northern Ireland effectively stay in single market and customs union
According to The Guardian, EU negotiators have warned that the draft withdrawal agreement will see Northern Ireland effectively remain in the single market and customs union, in order to avoid a hard border. The paper suggests that this is likely to cause a ‘major row’.

Committee report proposes housing strategy for the elderly
A report by the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee recommends that the Government develops a strategy to deal with older people’s housing needs. The BBC says that proposals include a handyman service, age-proofing new-build homes and a national helpline.

Tech firms questioned about fake news
As the Financial Times reports, MPs on the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee visited Washington yesterday to hear from firms including Google, Facebook and Twitter. The committee’s chair, Damian Collins, said that the firms had a level of ‘disconnect’ about their responsibility for combating fake news and disinformation.

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PR Spotlight: Lizzie Owen

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Lizzie Owen is a freelance PR and blogger, responsible for Mummy in Manolos. Lizzie started blogging out of a necessity to understand how bloggers work and their needs from a PR perspective. She now has seven years’ experience blogging, and can confidently approach bloggers on behalf of clients and understands influencer outreach form a unique perspective.

In the first of our two part interview, Lizzie talks to us about her PR career, how starting a blog has made her better at influencer outreach and the tips she’d give other PR professionals.

Can you tell us about your career as a PR?
Pure chance. After leaving Fashion College (Ravensbourne) during a recession in 1992 and working for a wax jacket company near our farm in Staffordshire called John Partridge. They didn’t have a design job, but there was a new role as the CEO’s PA, which quickly became an ‘everything’ sort of role, and it turned out I quite enjoyed organising country pursuit events (Aston Martin Historic Racing being my favourite), fashion shoots in the Cotswolds and Devon, and organising trade shows all over Europe.

I then turned my hand to writing. My mentor Nigel Calladine was brutal at making me learn the secrets to a successful release. To this day, I still use his technique. After the company relocated me to their Dover Street showroom, I soon started to relive my London life and drifted from there to PR agencies, Events Companies, dot.coms (when they first appeared in 1996) and onto an advertising agency. All of this was great fun, but meant ultimately, I was missing the role as an in-house PR.

Then in 2004 I joined Laura Ashley, and climbed the ladder to Head of PR during a successful run with the business. One marriage and two babies later, in 2008 we moved from Battersea to Marlow in the Buckinghamshire countryside, and found the commute challenging, so set up my own PR thing here in Marlow, working for brands such as: Home Barn; ACHICA.com; Indian Ocean Outdoor Furniture; Lisa Stickley; London Fashion Week; V V Rouleaux; Smink Things; Danetti.com; and Portrait Communications.

After a year of taking time out to assess what I really love doing, I’ve set up my own PR thing again, including Sales and Social Media into the mix, as I do feel they all relate so closely to each other for brands trying to launch themselves.

PR professionalWhat have you learnt about blogging that’s made you better as a PR?
Mainly approach and trust. Everyone prefers a tailored experience rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach, especially with an exclusive. As a blogger, I’m not keen on PRs of brands assuming I can attend their event within two days of it actually happening. To me, that looks like I’ve been put on a secondary list because their prioritised invitees have not accepted. I also know about this from the other side of the fence, and I like to warn my clients that they may have to pay for posts for appropriate reach, and to never expect bloggers with amazing reach to cover their brand in return for product, or worse still, exposure! If you want your brand to fall flat on its face, and be totally ripped to pieces by secret blogger groups, mention the word ‘exposure’. That’ll get them right up there with the last-minute invite brigade!

It’s taken years to work out what each blogger loves, what they write about, their voice, their humour, which Social Media platforms they like to chat on the most, supporting them where possible and offering appropriate releases. There are some bloggers out there who haven’t heard from me for a while as a PR, because I’ve felt my clients may not interest them due to their style.

It’s all about the research, taking a genuine interest in their blog and loving what they do and interacting with them as a fellow blogger. I’m so thrilled when a PR approaches me after finding out what I do, becoming familiar with my posts, and offering me something that fits my style. I realise this is hugely time consuming, but once the tribe is created, the more trust is given. Also, as with the press, I pick up the phone and talk to them. I avoid the 3pm to 6pm slot, as that’s normally pick-up/work/supper/clubs/homework time for me too, and I never expect an immediate response, although, one of my clients is an absolute minx and throws things at me very last minute, and I know exactly who to go to for those types of emergencies – my nearest and dearest usually help me out there!

What do PRs get wrong?
Not warning their clients what to expect from bloggers, and how much more powerful their reach is than traditional hard media. Throwing out a large blogging fishing net and seeing what will be dragged back in. Some find it an insult to receive a release given to thousands of others who may not be suitable to a certain brand. Inboxes are filled with this kind of approach, and it’s really quite damaging to an agency’s reputation when this happens, especially if it’s a young PR intern, thrown into the lion’s den after just graduating, because the more seasoned PRs who prefer not to do the direct blogger relations feel it’s not their duty. It’s a hard way to learn a career lesson.

What collaborations have you enjoyed working on?
As a PR, I loved it when I forced Home Barn to make ENORMOUS efforts to pull together a creative space for Mollie Makes Magazine at Cybher’s conference way back in 2012. It was a huge success, as they’d created a beautiful space, full of their vintage pieces with rustic tables and benches, perfect for Instagrammers and bloggers resting between sessions and networking, while crocheting or learning how to, by the then editor Lara Watson. It was awesome! Sarah and Sally who founded Home Barn back in 2010, also gave away fab little goodie bags containing a release and tiny vintage glass bottles. Needless to say, they were hugely appreciated! It was such a meeting of likeminded souls who loved to blog, appreciated all things vintage and loved a spot of makery while chatting away with fellow bloggers!

What are the biggest differences between traditional media outreach and working with digital influencers?
I definitely think it’s very much the same approach, ensuring a carefully selected and appropriate blogs for the brand, but with a far more creative angle to ensure the right influencers are kept engaged. There is far more creative license with a blogger than a member of printed press. They’re mostly not employed by an editor who ultimately controls the content. You know that the final edit will be with the person you first contacted, and if it’s great content with beautiful imagery, that will be online forever, not just for that one magazine or print run up to 6 months down the line.

Plus, serious bloggers make sure they interact with their readers to ensure they return. Personal touches like that ensure loyalty, so feedback from an article is also the added benefit of what people think of your product or service. You get so much more from a blog post than printed media, and it can be taken so much further. The more creative the approach, the more engagement there’s going to be. Sadly, press now have smaller teams, and often find it challenging to return calls or emails due to time and staff restrictions and deadlines, rarely finding the time to leave their desks for events.

 

Lizzie Owen is listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Today’s Political Headlines – 8 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include details of the Brexit economic impact, the Nick Timothy/George Soros story, council tax increases and Michael Gove’s plan to ban pet shops from selling puppies.   

Further details of Brexit economic impact leaked
Further details of the Government’s leaked Brexit economic assessments have been published. According to The Guardian, in the event of ‘no deal’, the Government will need to borrow £120bn more over 15 years, while the North East would be the worst affected region with GDP growth 16% less. Sky News adds details of the expected impact on individual sectors, with retail expected to suffer a 20% increase in costs, and car manufacturing to experience a 13% increase.

Best for Britain campaign funder revealed
The Daily Telegraph leads with an article carrying the byline (alongside others) of Nick Timothy, the Prime Minister’s former chief of staff. The story reveals that the billionaire George Soros, who it claims is known as ‘the man who broke the Bank of England’, is one of three senior figures backing Best for Britain, a group campaigning to remain in the EU.

Council tax to increase as councils suffer budget shortfalls
Council tax is the subject of the main story of both The Times and the Daily Mail. The Times reports that Surrey County Council has one of the largest budget shortfalls in the country, while nine out of ten councils will end the year millions of pounds over budget. The Daily Mail says that a study by the Local Government Information Unit shows that average council tax bills are due to increase by £100.

Michael Gove to ban pet shops from selling puppies
The Sun says that the Government is planning to ban pet shops from selling puppies, forcing buyers to deal directly with breeders or rehousing centres. Other changes being examined by Michael Gove include enhanced licensing conditions for breeders and online sales being made in person.

One in five Westminster staff sexually harassed in last twelve months
A report by a cross-party working group shown to The Independent has found that one in five people working in Westminster has experienced sexual harassment in the last twelve months. The study is to be published by House of Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom alongside recommendations for a new staff grievance procedure.

Universal Credit programme criticised by new report
According to The Guardian, a report by the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee warns that the Government is expecting the public to ‘take it on faith’ that Universal Credit will deliver an improved service to claimants. According to the committee no business case has been produced for the programme, which started seven years ago.

Hospital bosses caught up in scandals to be banned from working for the NHS
The Daily Telegraph says that two former managers at Liverpool Community Health, which was found to have caused ‘significant unnecessary harm’ to patients are still working in the NHS. According to the paper, ministers will today announce plans to ban managers caught up in care scandals from working for the NHS again.

Minister says pupils should take more exams to reduce stress
Schools minister Nick Gibb claimed yesterday that students should sit more exams so that they find GCSEs less stressful, The Times reports. Gibbs was criticised by members of the education and health select committees, who claimed that there was a link between exam pressures and mental health.

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PMQs: Theresa May’s word cloud – 7 February 2018

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This week’s Prime Minister’s Questions focused on police, women’s rights, Brexit and the NHS. We present the world cloud for Theresa May’s PMQs on 7 February 2018:

PMQs Theresa May

Women’s Rights
The Prime Minister opened by marking yesterday as the centenary of women in the UK securing the right to vote. After some Labour MPs shouted ‘some women’, May reminded the house that it was under a Conservative government that all women gained the right to vote 10 years later.

In light of this, SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford, said that 3.8 million women are still not receiving the pension they are entitled to and asked if the Prime Minister would do her bit for gender equality. This is regarding women born in the 1950s losing out due to the increase in state pension age for women. May claimed the government has already acted, and extra money has been provided to give greater protection to the women born in the 1950s, and said that an extra £1bn has been put in to ensure nobody is going to see their pension entitlement change by more than 18 months.

Conservative MP Vicky Ford asked May if she agrees the government should take no lessons on the topic of intimidation of MPs from Labour given the shadow chancellor has backed violence against women (a reference to a comment made by McDonnell about lynching Esther McVey). May called on McDonnell to apologise.

Crime
Corbyn’s main focus this week was crime, asking the Prime Minister if she regrets cutting 21,000 police officers, and added that recorded crime is up by a fifth. He referenced May’s time as Home Secretary, claiming that £2.3bn was cut from police budgets.

May defended her run as home secretary, saying she asked HMIC to change the way police crime is recorded, so it is done properly. She said the police now do more to help vulnerable people, and to tackle issues like domestic violence and modern slavery.

Corbyn claimed that people do not feel safe and are not safe, and quoted Philip Davies, a Tory, criticising the government’s record on crime, and a Merseyside police officer saying he needs more resources to tackle gun crime. May argued that Corbyn does not have a good record on giving more power to the police and said that he would bankrupt the economy and not be able to afford to fund any public services.

Labour MP Stephen Morgan said the Prime Minister continues to be ‘in denial’ about rising levels of crime and said that local businesses in his Portsmouth constituency have seen break-ins as a result of Tory cuts to the police budget. May said that those concerned should raise it with the police and said operational changes need not mean that cuts cause damage.

NHS
Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner quoted the record of the last Labour government on NHS funding, a move not always popular with the Labour benches. He said NHS staff have told him that the best period they’ve seen was when money for the NHS was increased between 1997 and 2010 – ‘a golden period’ and then called on the government to ‘get weaving’. May claimed that the last Labour government were only able to spend that much money because the Conservatives ‘left a golden economic legacy’.

Conservative MP Derek Thomas challenged the PM on NHS funding saying its growth in the south-west is 2.2% less than the national average and asked her to address this as the region ‘deserves a fair share’. May told him the national formula does take into account a number of factors including demographics and rurality, and Cornwall will see a further increase next year.

Brexit
Tory MP Sir Bill Cash marked the anniversary of the Maastricht treaty, congratulating the PM on her approach to the customs union and asking her to be robust when discussing these matters in order to ‘repudiate any EU threats’. May assured the house that the government will be robust in any arguments.

Another Tory MP, Chris Philp, asked May for an assurance that the government will only agree the Brexit deal as a whole, and that it will not accept separate side deals. May said the government is working on the basis that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

Vince Cable, the Lib Dem leader, said America wants access to NHS contracts as part of a future UK-US trade deal. He asked if the PM can guarantee that the NHS will be excluded from trade negotiations and whether she will tell President Trump that ‘the NHS is not for sale’. May said that she will go into talks trying to get the best deal for the UK. Labour Chair of the Brexit committee, Hilary Benn, followed up with a question on post-Brexit border control, asking the PM why she is so opposed to remaining in the customs union when it would be better for the economy to ensure the border remains as it is. May said if the UK was in the customs union, it would not be able to do trade deals around the world. She said Benn should read the paper the government published on customs arrangements last summer.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 7 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include key meetings on Brexit, the EU’s power to punish, May’s press review and the Government overhauling employment rights for millions. 

May prepares to chair key meetings on Brexit
Theresa May is to chair the first of two meetings of her Brexit cabinet committee today, the BBC reports. Today’s meeting will focus on Northern Ireland and immigration, while tomorrow’s will focus on trade. As the BBC notes, the meeting comes as the British Chambers of Commerce criticised the Government for ‘continued division’ and warned that businesses’ ‘patience is wearing thin’. The Guardian says that the Public Accounts Committee has found that the Government has been ‘too slow’ at making preparations for Brexit, and that a University of Sussex report suggests that manufacturing exports could be cut by a third.

EU will have power to punish UK at will during transition, leaked document shows
The Guardian reports that a leaked document shows that the EU will be able to punish the UK at will during the transition period, by closing access to parts of the single market. This would allow the EU countries to act against the UK without having to go through the European Court of Justice.

May pledges review of the press, criticises online abuse of politicians
As The Guardian says, Theresa May has announced a review into whether state intervention is needed to preserve local and national newspapers, calling the decline in local journalism a threat to democracy. The review will examine the rise in ‘clickbait’ news. The announcement was made in a speech marking the enfranchisement of women in which, The Times reports, May criticised online abuse of political candidates and representatives, and praised the ‘heroism’ of the suffragettes.

Government to overhaul employment rights for millions
The Government has promised to overhaul employment rights for millions of workers, including those in the gig economy, the BBC says. Nearly all of the recommendations of the Taylor review into working practices are to be adopted, but unions warn that the plans will still leave 1.8m workers without key rights. Quoted in The Daily Telegraph, the Institute for Directors claims the Government has missed an opportunity to reform National Insurance.

Boris plans Valentine’s Day Brexit speech
The Daily Mail claims that Boris Johnson is planning on making a major speech on Brexit on Valentine’s Day to set out his vision of a ‘liberal Brexit’. Allies of Johnson told the paper that no date or venue had been set, and the paper claims that ‘the intervention will inevitably be interpreted as a bid to push his own credentials to take over from Theresa May.’ Meanwhile, The Times suggests that senior Conservatives are searching for a candidate to prevent Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg winning a sudden leadership contest.

Jack Sargeant elected for his father’s old Welsh Assembly seat
Jack Sargeant has been elected as the new Welsh Assembly Member for Alyn and Deeside. As the BBC reports, he will be following in the footsteps of his father, Carl Sargeant who died in November, having apparently taken his own life, causing the by-election.

Treasury planning loan to bail out Ministry of Defence
According to an exclusive in The Sun, the Treasury is offering to meet the Ministry of Defence’s funding shortfall through a loan until the next spending review in 2020. This would have to be repaid by cutting troops or selling off assets. The paper expects this to ‘spark another major Cabinet row’ between Philip Hammond and Gavin Williamson.

Carillion chief executive admits board should have asked more questions
The Financial Times reports that Keith Cochrane, Chief Executive of Carillion when it collapsed, admitted to MPs in an evidence session yesterday that the board should have asked ‘more probing questions’. Former Finance Director Emma Mercer suggested that her predecessor Zafar Khan and former Chief Executive Richard Howson had been ‘aggressive’ with how contracts were accounted for, a claim Khan denied.

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Naomi Lewis

Blogger Spotlight: Naomi Lewis, The Naomi Narrative

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Naomi Lewis writes The Naomi Narrative, which was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Relationship and Dating Blogs. Naomi started her blog after an unbelievably crappy date, and now shares experiences of dates as well advice around sex and relationships. We spoke to Naomi about the best date she’s ever been on, making a good impression and working with brands on campaigns.

What makes your blog successful?
I’m not sure I could pinpoint one certain thing but definitely shameless self-promotion to get my work out there has had an effect. Also, I would’ve though the honesty behind my writing. I don’t just fluff things up for the sake of it, I get right into the nitty gritty and I think people really appreciate the tough love approach.

What’s the best date you’ve ever been on?
It’s nothing grand, I went for a meal and a dance. Sounds pretty plain, right? It was, but great dates are all about the company you keep. We weren’t even meant to be seeing each other this night and I got a text saying, ‘I’ve booked your favourite place at 6 for dinner, I’ll meet you there’. Great start – love the romantic spontaneity, and it just got better. We kept having to send the waitress away because we were gabbing that much we hadn’t had time to even consider what to order, we had a great meal and then went on to have a drink, a dance and a laugh for the rest of the night.

What made this such a great date when it sounds so normal? It was thoughtful, and it was so easy. Just a simple meal and a drink was one of the best dates ever – no grandeur, no forward planning, no massive expense – just good company and great chemistry.

What top tips would you give to people to make a great impression on a first date?
Always answers questions with questions to keep the conversation flowing, there is nothing worse than an awkward silence but if you make an effort to keep things ticking over, then you’ll never have to worry about that! Also, remember the old saying ‘you never get a second chance at a first impression’ because it’s totally true – don’t be afraid to get dolled up to the nines or suited and booted, and keep smiling – it’s infectious.

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?
I mean, sure, it’s a good excuse to spoil your partner but IMO, it’s become a bit of a Hallmark season now. I think and people can go a little overboard which is, of course, fine as everyone’s different. In my opinion, the little things throughout the year adding together mean more than a grand gesture on Valentine’s Day would – but like I said, that’s just me.

How much is your content about you and your experiences, and how much is it about others?
It’s a real mixture of both. I’ve written a lot about my own dates, the single life and my emotions and now that I’m in a long-term relationship, I write about the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship – the good, the bad and the ugly! I also find it useful to write up things I’ve learned that are happening in the dating scene too. For instance, new apps and their pros/cons, new dating trends that are surfacing, and a bit of the psychology behind dating and relationships too. It’s all SO interesting and the great thing about it is that EVERY SINGLE PERSON can relate to it all.

What’s your favourite thing to write about?
I’m a bit six-of-one-half-a-dozen-of-the-other when it comes to my favourite writing style. I do like to get deep with some posts and really explore why we do what we do and what happens when, etc, and go into a bunch of detail, of course with a positive spin on it all. Like this one.

However, I have just as much fun writing blogs that are a little more risqué but putting in a little humour too to take the ‘awky’ edge off. Like this one.

How do you like to work with PRs and brands?
I guess it all depends on the brand/campaign. I really like to put my own spin on things and the brand/campaign has to be inexplicably linked to dating/relationships because my content always has to stay true to my own brand. The brands I’ve worked with so far have been great because there’s always been give and take and being able to communicate exactly what you want to achieve from either end ensures that everyone gets what they want out of the campaign – which is the dream right?
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Are there any stand out campaigns that you have been involved with?
I’ve worked with all sorts of brands, from lingerie and sex toys, to greetings cards, health and wellbeing, and apps. There has been a whole plethora of different campaigns I’ve been lucky to be a part of but I would say the biggest things to come out of my blog are my columns.

Due to the success of my blog, I’ve landed myself a column in #DATING – the only dating magazine on the market and I have a weekly column talking all things dating, sex and relationships in real life magazine Loveit!

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
I’d definitely call myself a blogger because I’m all about the writing. Of course, I appreciate other blogs with beautiful photos but for me, blogging’s all about the words.

What other blogs do you read?
I must admit, I love reading other dating and relationships blogs, it’s always good to see difference in perspective and opinion on subjects you’re interested in! For instance, All Sweetness and Life, Never Settle (Eve Greenow), etc.

 

Naomi is listed with her blog on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Eve Greenow interview

Blogger Spotlight: Eve Greenow, Never Settle

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Eve Greenow writes Never Settle, the Top 10 Dating Relationship Blog. Started in 2015 after she got out of a toxic relationship, Eve uses her blog to encourage people to be happy – after all, you only live one life. We spoke to Eve about making a great first impression on a date, Valentine’s Day and working with brands.

What makes your blog successful?
As with most bloggers, so much time and commitment goes into keeping up my blog, ensuring quality and relevant content. Never Settle pushes the latest trends to the forefront of discussion, tackling controversial and taboo subjects head on in a completely non-judgemental manner. With my content, I look to provide a range of outcomes and a way of achieving them, based on a mixture of personal experience and extensive psychological and sociological research.

My blog wasn’t created to complain, gloat or judge anyone, it’s there as a tool for anyone who wants to make themselves happier, better informed and ultimately more confident in their love lives. I hope that my posts are relatable, useful and encourage personal empowerment – that’s why it’s successful, because it genuinely helps people who have gone through similar situations.

Eve GreenowWhat’s the best date you’ve ever been on?
The best date must have been geocaching around Aberystwyth when I was at University. It was different, and related to our conversations we’d had previously. It’s basically treasure hunting using coordinates – sounds super nerdy but it’s so fun searching for ‘hidden treasure’. It meant we could just chat while walking along in the sun; doing something fun during the day. No awkward meals (I always end up becoming a messy nervous eater!) – just getting to know each other.

What top tips would you give to people to make a great impression on a first date?
Remember it’s just two people meeting, avoid putting too much pressure on yourself or the situation. Listen attentively, avoid asking too many interrogatory questions (it’s not an interview!), smile, be yourself and enjoy it!

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?
I am a true romantic, and I religiously write Valentine’s Day content every year, both for the single and the coupled-up. Personally, I think we should celebrate our relationships every day, regardless of whether they are romantic or not. Friendships should be celebrated for their love too. But I’m definitely not one for a cuddly toy bear holding a heart!

How much is your content about you and your experiences, and how much is it about others?
I write a lot about experiences or topics I’m personally passionate about, or if I see a relationship on TV or a friend has a problem, usually it sparks me to write a post. I usually base my content on psychological and sociological research, with a smidgen of personal experience. Some posts in my lifestyle section are directly about me, and usually if they are I refer to myself in the first person. Many people think ALL of my posts are about me, but they’re actually not. I have friends and family who ring me up after I post about cheating or breakups, when actually it’s nothing to do with me!

I enjoy answering people in my new agony aunt section ‘Ask Eve’, where anyone can anonymously send in their relationship, dating or lifestyle questions.

What’s your favourite topic to write about?
As sad as it sounds, I love writing about love. So, if any new psychological research is published to do with relationships, I enjoy exploring how it relates to other research, or my previous posts. Having people write in for ‘Ask Eve‘, is really exciting, I love writing answers to the, it makes me really feel like I’m helping people more directly.

I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite thing to write about, but I also really appreciate my personal posts on mental health and lifestyle, I find it a really cathartic process, especially if it helps other people. Finally, writing break-up posts is super interesting to me, I want to bring as much comfort and help to those looking for it, so I try and craft my break-up posts to be as inspiring and motivating as possible – while ensuring that we allow ourselves to grieve properly rather than cover up our emotions.

How do you like to work with PRs and brands?
I like to ensure when I work with PR agencies and brands, that it’s mutually beneficial. I don’t generally accept work with brands that aren’t relevant to my content (as it messes with the consistency of the site), but it’s about ensuring that we work as a partnership, and both of us are happy with the content. Whether it be working on a giveaway or sponsored post, or reviews, I always love working together with brands and PR agencies to push conversions, ROI and give my readers something new and fresh to discover.
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Are there any stand out campaigns that you have been involved with?
I really enjoyed working with LELO, the luxury Swedish pleasure brand, on their release of the SONA Cruise. Instead of simply reviewing or pushing people to buy, I explored the taboo subject of female masturbation – how female pleasure is really important, and the inner workings of the female anatomy.

I naturally introduced the product into the post, as the perfect product to explore and use to achieve mind-blowing orgasms. It had great engagement and a high CTR: women are intrigued but afraid to admit it out loud, so introducing a new product this way worked really well. I am an ongoing LELO affiliate, and love working with their products in general, whether it be in a gift guide or bringing my readers new, exciting products I know they’ll love.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
I call myself a blogger, as I consider myself as a writer overall. Although I love creating content for my social feeds and blog, the written content is what drives me and Never Settle.

What other blogs do you read?
I love reading other blogs, it’s one of my favourite past times, and I really enjoy discovering new ones too! Some of my favourites are Hannah (The Giraffe’s Life), Scarlett London, Naomi Narrative and Giulia Smith.

Eve Greenow and Never Settle are both listed with her blog on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.