Political Communication

From time to time, I am asked what not to do in Brussels. In my 20 plus years, I’ve seen some amazing own goals, that have all but sunk someone’s interests. Usually, they seem oblivious to the self destruction. You’ll find a list below. They are listed  so you do not repeat them, and  help … Read more

A company asked me what I’d recommend to help them on a challenging file. Here is the list. Feed into the Impact Assessment. Bring real data and information into the process. If you are asked for studies, do them. Don’t gripe if you don’t constructively feed into the process. Step in from a good position. … Read more

  Rewatching David Axelrod and Karl Rove’s excellent Masterclass on campaigning, I was struck by the wisdom of Karl Rove: “First come the message and the theme. But, after you have agreed on what the message is, and what the theme is, you then need to sit down and write out a plan … If you … Read more

A wonderful Afrikaans anti-apartheid libertarian taught me something valuable a  long time ago. He told me there are three lines, no-one should straight out believe:   1. “The cheque is in the post. 2. I’ll respect you in the morning. 3.  We are the government, and we are here to help.” Over time, I  added … Read more