Archive
Public Affairs
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Should businesses be preparing for Winter blackouts?
November 29, 2022
Earlier this week, National Grid considered implementing its Demand Flexibility Service for the first time in a bid to avert blackouts. Although the scheme, which would have seen certain households be paid if they turned off products during certain hours, did not take place this week, it marked a clear reminder that this winter could be characterised by energy shortages which could impact both households and businesses. Countries across Europe are preparing for a long...
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Labour’s U-Turn on labour
November 24, 2022
Luke Downham, Head of Labour Unit and Adam Newman, Account Manager (Public Affairs, Labour Unit) Keir Starmer’s pledge to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference this week that he will wean the UK off its “dependence” on immigration orientated “cheap labour” is a highly significant policy shift, laying down an important plank of Labour’s economic policy, and reflecting an increasingly focused electoral strategy. As hoped, political commentary after the speech focused on this “tough” approach...
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Autumn Statement Review: Growth vs Stability, and a bad deal for young people
November 18, 2022
The Autumn Statement that took place yesterday essentially reversed the entire plan that the Liz Truss administration had put in place in her Growth Plan. In the space of 55 days, the UK has gone from around £30 billion in tax cuts to c.£54 billion in tax rises – under the same Party. The problem was that the Growth Plan as a fiscal stimulus did not work with supply constraints, as it focused on demand...
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Sunak’s Struggles: The challenges facing the new Prime Minister
October 27, 2022
A third Prime Minister in seven weeks: it’s perhaps an understatement to say that the past few months in UK politics have been unprecedented! The scale of the challenge which Sunak now faces would be a daunting prospect for any political heavyweight. Not only will he be tasked with bringing together a Conservative Party which is deeply divided amongst its many factions, but he will also have to try and steer the country through the...
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FleishmanHillard UK Analysis: The New Cabinet – Rishi Sunak
October 26, 2022
Charley Sambridge, account director New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has kept Jeremy Hunt as his Chancellor and appointed MPs from all wings of the Conservative Party to his top table after he pledged to build a “big tent” Cabinet to bring unity and stability to government. In a reshuffle that Downing Street claimed would provide “continuity” in “uncertain times”, Sunak reappointed almost a third of the Cabinet to the same jobs they held under Truss...
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Fleishmanhillard and Powerscourt appointed by Landsec for major corporate brief
October 26, 2022
An innovative agency collaboration secures a wide-ranging brief Following an extensive tender process, a combined FleishmanHillard and Powerscourt team has been appointed by FTSE-100 listed company Landsec, one of the UK’s biggest real estate companies. The wide-ranging mandate, spanning public affairs, issues management, campaigns and corporate communications, is shared between FleishmanHillard and Powerscourt as they join forces and create an innovative agency collaboration that combines the best of both firms for Landsec. The move follows...
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Government relations during political chaos
October 21, 2022
Adam Newman, Account Manager The Conservative Party will soon have its fifth leader since 2016. A far cry from the ‘strong and stable’ government promised back in 2017. With this, there will be a new approach to governance. From ‘Compassionate Conservativism’ under Cameron, ‘Tackling Burning Injustices’ under May, ‘Getting Brexit Done’ and ‘Levelling Up’ under Johnson, and ‘Growth, Growth, Growth’ under Truss; the country can prepare for a new agenda and new policy priorities to...
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The lady is for turning — Analysis of Conservative Party Conference and what comes next
October 11, 2022
Sophie Fischer, senior account executive The atmosphere going into this Conference was a challenging one, with the Conservative Party clearly divided over the announcements in the mini-budget and the impact this had on the economy. As a first-time Conference goer, I had little reference point for comparing conference to conference. Rather, it was a case of 'take it as I find it'. Having reflected on my time in Birmingham, I conclude that whilst I learnt...
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A review of the Conservative Party Conference: Stuck between a rock and a hard place
October 6, 2022
Conservative Party Conference Review With a new Leader and a new Monarch, the Conservative Party should be buoyant and bursting with energy – however, this was not the case in Birmingham during this year’s Conference, as the atmosphere was torrid and the air stale. It was as if the Conservative Party knew that they were clinging onto power until the next General Election, rather than celebrating the new PM’s traditional, small-c conservative fiscal outlook of...
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FleishmanHillard Public Affairs Team Live Commentary – Conservative Conference 2022
October 3, 2022
FleishmanHillard UK senior account executive Bhav Popat (2nd October 2022) "It’s day one of Conservative Party Conference and Liz Truss’s first one as Prime Minister. "Given the rocky start that she’s had to her premiership and the fact that it’s her opportunity to now rally her supporters following a fiscal event that did not have the impact that she wanted. "It will be interesting to see how she unites the party following her promises made...