GB Energy is kicking into gear with head honcho hiring. Now it has fixed its stock image logo…
A new Civil Service job advert appeared today: Head of Social Sustainability. Sigh…
It’s a vaunted PR man to be paid £76,675 with flexible working (only 40% of working hours to be spend in the office.) The sustainability head will focus “on building awareness of GBE and supporting the local community. This role involves organising and participating in community events, such as career fairs and educational talks at schools, to showcase our work and investments.” More widely the applicant should gear up for “passionately presenting and articulating GBE’s role in the UK’s energy transition, the wider benefits of the work that will be delivered through GBE and it’s supply chain in Aberdeen and beyond.” Staff won’t be spared – the role will “shape the internal capability, culture and awareness for Social Value across GBE.” Apparently an “essential” characteristic is “extensive experience” in “promoting the real living wage”…
Miliband will be aware that his Net Zero project will need all the positive (and expensive) PR it can get. Good luck…
Co-conspirators will remember the furore over Reeves’ concert tickets last week. The Chancellor claimed she had to take a seat in a box due to security concerns – the same excuse Starmer uses for his regular Directors’ Box tickets for Arsenal games. Reeves said: “I do now have security which means it’s not as easy as it would have been in the past to just sit in a concert.” One in Starmer’s Cabinet disagrees…
Guido has obtained footage of none other than the Deputy Prime Minister at a Rugby game with her “soulmate” boyfriend – Momentum darling and deselected Labour MP Sam Tarry. The pair attended a Six Nations game – England vs Wales – on Saturday 15 March at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. They were in the stands, relaxing with a drink…
It does not look as though there is any security present. Did she manage to slip them for the weekend…
Rayner’s caper completely blows apart the PM’s excuse for his box-taking antics at Arsenal as well as Reeves’ freebie justification. If any Cabinet minister in the future claims they can’t attend an event with laymen because they are too important, co-conspirators can point out that the Deputy Prime Minister herself does so without issue. People’s champion Ange removing that excuse from the roster…
DEFRA quango the Environment Agency has been busy running waste management, flood protection, and conservation efforts out of its Bristol headquarters. It’s also found the time to bill the taxpayer for a PR makeover…
UK DOGE’s The Waste Files research reveals that in a bid to tackle their “passive positioning”, “lack of voice” and “negative reputation,” the Environment Agency has shelled out £87,122 on a three-month ‘Mission Narratives’ contract to spruce up their image. In their own words:
“Our narrative has been defined by others; our ‘brand’ positioning is passive, we lack a voice and an attitude to cut through; we require a new approach to inspire our internal teams and engage external audiences. A negative reputation impacts on our ability to deliver as an organisation and to work effectively with our partners and government, it also diminishes trust with the public.”
Someone grab the tissues. The contract has been awarded to advertising agency Storycatchers – a firm that touts: “Stories capture the imagination. They don’t just change the way we think – they powerfully shape and change.” Might take more than a few stories to clean up the Environment Agency’s image. For £87,122 you could:
The EA defends itself by saying “Every year we talk to millions of people in their communities, and it’s vital they understand what we are doing and why we are doing it. We deliver good value for money for taxpayers, and in the last year we are on course to save over £23 million for the public.” No one knows what it’s like, to be the sad man, to be the bad man…
The taxpayer may have a view on which should be prioritised. UK DOGE recommends costs are cut here…
Guido’s story on Rayner getting civil servants in her own private office to move house for her was widely covered – the Tories demanded an investigation into it. MHCLG previously told hacks it provided “logistical support” to facilitate the DPM’s move into a grace and favour apartment in Admiralty House. Now they admit it in earnest…
In response to a written question from Kevin Hollinrake minister Alex Norris admits civil servants helped with the move: “As this support was provided in relation to the move to an official residence it is not possible to identify a specific number of staff.” They don’t even know how many…
Norris adds: “Professional removal and cleaning services were hired and paid for personally by the Deputy Prime Minister and at no cost to the Department.” Did Angela not fancy paying them for the full job?
A mind-boggling move this week from Labour. During an otherwise unremarkable debate on the Bus Services (No.2) Bill in the House of Lords, the government ordered its peers to vote against an amendment (from one of their own backbenchers) to introduce mandatory reporting of serious assaults on the bus network. The Tories inflicted a government defeat – becoming more and more common in the Lords. Successfully passing an amendment to require all bus operators to record violent incidents, in an effort to aid police detection rates…
Recorded violence on Britain’s public transport network is up, with a 20% increase on last year in attacks on women and girls, according to figures from the British Transport Police Authority. Labour are not even doing the basics to crush crime…
After Jo Coburn’s departure Young will start in June. The BBC says:
“Vicki is well known to audiences as the BBC’s Deputy Political Editor, a role she has held since 2020, and brings her impressive experience presenting and covering UK politics to the weekday politics show.
Vicki has covered eight General Elections, numerous international summits, and has been a presenter on the BBC News Channel and Westminster Hour on Radio 4. During her career she has reported on some of the most complex stories in recent times from Brexit to the coronavirus pandemic – keeping audiences informed and up to date.”
Congratulations…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”