PubAffairs Blog
An empty diary
Lobby-Lite05 January 2008 11:19 AM
On the desk lies a pristine looking diary, not yet stained with coffee, not yet featuring the scruffy, ripped pages indicating a forgotten notebook on far too many occasions. 2008 stares up blankly. The 2008 comms plans sit on the desk too. They feature all the good intentions and idealistic campaigns devised in a haze of Christmas parties and dinners back in December – and will of course go out the window once the government announces a new policy, a lobby group steps up its activities or an election is announced. So knowing our plans will rarely last what can expect to see in the political world in 2008…
A certainty will be the economy taking centre stage – again. The way we ended 2007, with the credit crunch issues, will firmly dictate our entry into 2008. That special relationship between the US and UK is seems to be firmly cemented, though not in a positive manner, as the fears of recession across the Atlantic make their way over here. Business leaders are out and about pleading for us not to be talked into recession – yet with a media as bored and troublemaking as ours – those pleas are probably falling on deaf ears. Fortunately, for those working in Government departments, their CSR settlements are done and dusted but it will be a busy few months for those in the public affairs departments of banks, finance organisations and the economics correspondents.
A result of the credit crunch, and in continuation of the green themes of 2007, this year we should expect to see the rise of frugality, thrift, localism and DIY. Not DIY in the sense of trundling off to the ironmongers round the corner or bribing a mate to help you decorate, but of making do, and staying close to home for what you need. Recycling was last year’s word. This year will be all about freecycling - giving away or unwanted items to those in your local community – or just updating and making the most of what you’ve already got. With house prices stagnant and mortgage repayment scare headlines making daily appearances, expect to see people maximising the space they already have. Just as mobile technology has developed to seeing one machine do everything (think iPhone) we’ll see home offices sliding into the corner of lounges, sofa beds making do for spare rooms and sheds becoming an additional household space for more than just harassed husbands.
The DIY theme may also extend politically with a strong focus on helping yourself. Not in a selfish greedy way, more as an extension of the 10 year old Labour holy grail of choice. The end of 2007 saw a trend arising in expecting unemployed to upskill themselves rather than just to expect welfare. Gordon Brown has taken this idea to heart so expect to see it develop strongly as a theme and embed culturally in 2008.
Not directly political, but certainly having a constitutional impact, this year may also see a Royal Wedding – the on-off five year relationship of William and Kate may finally see her initiated into the royal household. An excess of pomp and circumstance used to go down well in hard up times – but even with a potential recession, animosity towards the royals has spread strongly in the 21st century. If it does take place, will the streets are crowded with well wishers or just the paparazzi?
With the Beijing Olympics taking place in August, sports and health will be a highlight of the year. But watching the superfit will only highlight the growing divide in the UK between fit and fat, overachieving and obese. The TV schedules in the last month have featured little more than Darts and Snooker rather than anything which requires the athlete to look a little more, well, athletic. This trend has a potentially huge impact on the health agenda where money will be tighter than ever and resources need to be prioritised. Hopefully 2008 will see some serious questioning of what sort of health culture are we letting our kids (literally) grow into. We need to see more focus on the health divide across the UK and maybe see wider discrimination against those who negatively impact upon their own health. Is this the year it will become ever more acceptable to hold refuse certain treatments till someone loses weight, restrict liver transplants to non drinkers or see employers refuse to hire smokers?
The hype for the expected (but non delivered) 2007 election has rolled over to 2008. Not only do we have the American elections which just kicked off with the Iowa Caucus – but comedy campaigning will hit London too. The USA has Hillary, Barack, Mike and Mitt we have Ken, Brian and Boris! Not the most glamorous names, nor the most glamorous of candidates to be honest, but certainly going to be a lot of fun to watch. Roll on the proper campaigning in April.
And finally, will there be more political scandal - I'd put money on it - just wouldn't be a year in politics otherwise...
Can we fix it...
Lobby-Lite11 November 2008 2:33 PM
A great political speech not only transcends time but also time zones. It resonates with rich and poor, black and white, male and female. It should mean as much to someone in Boston, USA as Boston, Lincolnshire. And l...
Heineken don?t do party conferences. But if they did?
Lobby-Lite29 September 2008 5:38 PM
…they’d be the brains behind the Conservatives this year. In ten years of Party Conference attending I’ve never seen such a slick, logistically smooth event.
The security staff are smiling ...
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Lobby-Lite21 September 2008 8:24 PM
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Lobby-Lite21 September 2008 8:22 PM
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Lobby-Lite18 September 2008 11:06 AM
I was asked last week how a lobbyist can judge whether a party conference has been successful. The girls in my office say it is the freebies I bring back. Well I’m back from Lib Dems and I don’t think the ...
2012 Manifesto
Lobby-Lite25 August 2008 1:23 PM
As the last firework faded over Beijing, the British media were still conveying a sense of shock that Team GB finished so high up the medal table. But, with the highs come the lows, and now our fickle media warn that ...
Silly season for pointless PR
Lobby-Lite12 August 2008 9:45 AM
For anyone involved in the media, August is a lost month. Apart from the middle Thursday where the papers write indignantly about dumbed down A Levels, and then fill the front pages the next day with pictures of beaut...
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Lobby-Lite24 January 2008 6:18 PM
The Times this morning reports a story guaranteed to make gym bunnies’ blood boil. The government’s considering paying fat people to lose weight. As part of a strategy to fix the bad eating habits and sede...
Gordon says...get skilled
Lobby-Lite20 January 2008 11:11 AM
Having seen those adverts with the hands telling us that we need to take control of our futures and get skilled, I signed up for an evening course.
I was a little concerned when I called to register to find th...
Gordon says...get fit
Lobby-Lite12 January 2008 11:06 AM
So new year, new body! The regular January proclamation of the unhealthy, mince-pied up and newly tee-total. And, as Gordon says, we should do thirty minutes of exercise a day. As a result I, along with many thousands...
Gordon says...get recycling
Lobby-Lite06 January 2008 11:21 AM
As an (occasionally) dedicated public affairs consultant I’m constantly advising clients and colleagues on the latest directives and ‘suggestions’ from Government. With the New Year coming round and ...
If a week is a long time in politics - where did the whole year go...
Lobby-Lite30 December 2007 9:34 PM
As my first ever post I figured it was worth a look back over 2007.
This was the year of elections real ones, non-existent ones and controversial ones. There was a ...
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