Criticising sloganeering, with a campaign slogan strewn across a podium and a screen on the wall.
Lamenting ‘government by headline’ while sharing several social media posts designed to drive (no pun) the net zero narrative.
Decrying how politics is done as political aides feed MPs attack lines in readiness for battle with opponents.
As a comms professional, these inconsistencies stuck after the substance of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s net zero speech sank in.
The way politics is done today – short term, obsessed with headlines, shrouded in spin – fails the country, he said. Who, honestly, would disagree with that?
Therein lies the problem, because it made what followed Mr Sunak’s opening remarks a travesty. In setting a dividing line for Labour ahead of the general election, he can’t credibly claim to be thinking long-term at all.
More than ever, it demonstrated that the old way of communicating is alive and kicking. Labour posted a mock-up of Sunak in Liz Truss’ pocket, but hasn’t charged into battle.
We are already seeing that the facts around the impact of these policies get lost in the noise. Few people seem persuaded as advocates and opponents double down on their views.
Far from bringing in a new approach to politics, I fear we can expect more of this in the coming months.
Continue reading “New slogans, same old spin: Sunak’s net zero PR problem”