I digress … thoughts on fish & the environment
A lot of lobbying seems to like this: You make cakes and you like to eat a lot of cake. You want more people to eat your cake. You think that “ we must pass a law so that everybody eats [my] cakes.” You meet an official/politician who likes your cake. They are similarly … Read more
After 30-plus years in sunny Brussels, I’ve seen some good and dreadful requests for support. The Good A good request for support goes something like this. The decision has not been taken, and ideas are fluid; you are stepping ahead of time. There is a chance to influence ideas and move the needle. If asked … Read more
“Lobbying is the art of the possible” – not attributed to Otto von Bismarck I started campaigning for the UK Labour Party and a pro-European agenda. I got used to being on the losing side. Coming from the North of Ireland, my DNA must be instructing me that compromise is the only realistic way … Read more
I’m sometimes asked how to successfully influence the outcome of decisions/votes/proposals at the EU level. This is my model. It draws on working with organisations that have a network in most EU national capitals,e.g. WWF. It’s been tried and tested for over 30 years. It is based on lessons learned over 30 years … Read more