Friday 22 May 2009

Vote for Vivien


I am hustling for votes. Not for the polls on June 4 but for my boss Vivien Hepworth who has been shortlisted in the PA News Awards "Outstanding Contribution" category. It is not quite the same as being on the road during the 2005 general election with blogging genius Hopi Sen, but I love campaigning so am having fun.

Vivien is hugely knowledgeable, clever and respected. In a world of grey, she brings colour and life and so I am trying to get the vote out. It is a complex voting system - less OMOV, more one organisation seven votes - which makes the task even more interesting. Lots of talking to people, making small and realistic asks, using all the tools of the digital age to garner support - except Facebook, even now I won't go there. Even the voting itself is electronic. (And here is the ask:) it only takes 15 seconds to put tick in the box for Vivien, go on you know it makes sense: http://www.publicaffairsnews.com/panawards/voting


Tuesday 19 May 2009

It's just an illusion

So Speaker Martin is resigning. It is hardly surprising. He has never been a popular Speaker, indeed some parliamentarians have been seeking his departure practically since the moment he took the chair. Certainly he has not covered himself in glory. His handling of the expenses debacle - the oversight of the system itself, the failed attempt to halt the publication, the grumpiness in the wake of the press reports - has been truly terrible. Error has been heaped upon error. But those who have called so vociferously for his scalp in the last few days have themselves made an error if they think that his dismissal will somehow transform the reputation of this Parliament. It won't. Speaker Martin can't be blamed for the greed, lack of judgement and contempt for the public on the part of a great many MPs that the dodgy expenses claims reveal. None of this will be forgotten. It will be seen how much can be forgiven.

Martin's unseating has been an exercise in distraction of which Derren Brown would be proud. But unlike Mr Brown's illusions, there can be no applause at the end of the show.

Monday 18 May 2009

No more heroes any more

Utterly disappointed by our elected representatives, I have been reflecting on the subject of political heroes. What defines a hero and is it possible to be one once you have political power? I ask because I honestly can't think of a single living person in the politics who I would assign hero status (apart of course from Nelson Mandela and even his presidency had some shortcomings). Obama has to be a contender, but with less that 150 days under his belt it is, if truth be told, too early to judge. The compromises he will have to make may be too many and go too far. So who else is there? I am looking for someone with integrity whose political views I share, who is honest, true to his/her own beliefs but willing to yield in the face of a compelling alternative. Someone who understands the importance of justice, equality and liberty at home and abroad. Who is prepared to be do the right thing even if it is unpopular, to be bold and brave.

The only person I can think of who fits the bill is Jed Bartlett. And that can't be right. Surely there must be someone real out there. . .

Wednesday 13 May 2009

The Purdy Connection



"Why," a friend has just asked, "is it ok for Joanna Lumley to front the Gurkha campaign?" I presume he asked because he has so often heard me rant about the ridiculousness of celebrity-led campaigning. Reports of Sharon Stone declaring that she would kiss anyone to bring peace to the Middle East or Mia Farrow going on hunger strike for the people of Darfur throw me into a rage. But Lumley works for a number of reasons. First, she has a real link to the cause for which she fights (her father served with the Gurkhas). Second she is no "pop in if poss" campaigner, she has been working on this campaign for years. Third, she connects. That is what campaign communications is all about. She connects with her audience - politicians, judges and generals who are going to make the decisions as well as the public. To the likes of Gordon Brown, the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee and indeed male readers of the Daily Telegraph, she will always be Purdy, gorgeous, sexy Purdy who was always on the right side. (Perhaps a clue as to why GB met her alone.). But that doesn't put off women, we like her because she took the mickey out of herself, her glamour and her beauty in Ab Fab. Fourth, she is clever and canny. Her doorstep after the meeting with Steed, I mean Brown, was pure genius - "I trust him . . . I know he will do what is right".



In the midst of all these unpalatable revealations about moat cleaning, trouser presses and flipping, maybe those calling for her to be PM aren't so mad.

Friday 8 May 2009

Its all in the presentation


Far be it of me to add my voice to the chorus criticising the politics of Gordon Brown but can I just say that he is in desperate need of a proper communications advice. As he walked into No 10 Gordon effectively denounced the previous occupant (and my old boss) for his focus on presentation and declared the days of spin were over (a piece of spin if ever I saw one). He was wrong. Wrong to criticise Blair for understanding the power of the media and the importance of trying to use the media to get your message over effectively. Wrong to pretend he wasn't going to try to do the same. Alas over the last few weeks we have seen how badly he and his inner circle are doing on the presentation front. YouTube in itself is not a bad idea, but not necessarily as a channel to raise the issue of MPs expenses and why didn't anyone look at the tape before it was uploaded? I have nothing to add on the Swastika debacle other than to say I don't recall seeing any photos of a smiling TB with Nazi symbols coming out of the side of his head. As for the lovely Ms Lumley - why on earth was no one else in the room when they met? And why didn't they agree what line she could take when she stood in front of the cameras? Madness.

Storm in an E cup

So the bra war is over. M&S has seen the errors of its ways and capitulated. Busts 4 Justice has won the day. It is a victory for common sense, consumers and those of us who are a bit larger in the bosom department than others. It also demostrates how effective campaigning can force the surrender of Goliaths like Marks & Sparks. Busts 4 Justice had a very clear message (charging more for larger cups is wrong), a clear ask (stop it) and used the media and social networking sites like Facebook to make the case to as many people as possible. And it didn't hurt their cause that other high street retailers were able to make hay out of the fact that they apply an across the cup pricing policy. Of course Goliath didn't initially recognise the strength of the David it was facing and stood firm, indeed even tried to justify its position with statements which didn't bear serious scrutiny (more material and engineering? Please). But finally it has come to its senses, not only was the damage to its reputation was too great, it was alienating the a large section of its target shoppers. Women who wear need a more generous balcony or plunge outnumber those who don’t and big girls don't just buy bras, there are tops and jumpers, dresses and jackets (which are priced not according to size but to style) to be purchased, not to mention the clothes for the children and men in their lives. With the likes of Primark and Asda snapping at Markie's heels this was too much. But all credit to M&S, surrender has been gracious – an absolute apology, acknowledgement of the error and a gesture of appeasement. Nice one.