UK newspaper exposes PR Lobbyists In a sting worthy of their red‐top cousins, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and UK newspaper The Independent exposed a number of PR firms over a fake lobbying contract for a former Soviet republic with a poor reputation on human rights (use of child labour, undemocratic Government etc). Reporters from the BIJ posed as agents for the government of Uzbekistan and representatives of the Uzbek cotton industry. One of the lobbyists filmed by the undercover investigation is Tim Collins, a senior director and lobbyist at PR firm Bell Pottinger Public Affairs. Collins is filmed saying: “I was in the Conservative research department with David Cameron and George Osborne… I’ve been working with people like Steve Hilton, David Cameron, George Osborne, for 20 years‐ plus. ... Edward Llewellyn, who’s the prime minister’s chief of staff, was my deputy in Central Office for a long time... I know all these people. There is not a problem in getting the messages through to them.” Read the full article and watch the 3 minute video here: http://tinyurl.com/d9msylz A total of ten UK PR firms were contacted by the undercover reporters. Two PR firms refused to accept the brief (maybe they smelt a sting?). According to The Independent, Bell Pottinger’s minimum fee to lobby for the account was a minimum of GBP 1 million. Commentators have labelled the story “Lobbying‐for‐Dictators” List of UK Ministers who have partners who are lobbyists: http://tinyurl.com/cqul977
News Int. phone tapping scandal: regulator failed says Guardian According to The Guardian, the UK Government watchdog responsible for data regulation (Office of the Information Commissioner) failed to charge various media editors even when the watchdog had enough evidence, with ICO executives claiming the media was too big to prosecute, and would tie up their resources for years. The OIC chief gave evidence at the Leveson enquiry, a UK public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British media following the News International phone hacking scandal, claiming he didn’t put enough pressure on the UK Press Complaints Commission to take action. Read the full article here: http://tinyurl.com/7l9kl3v