Government communications: modernised or controlled?

Government communications are changing. Reform is being implemented, but not everyone believes that the change is welcome. And it is not just a battle over centralised control but also about how government engages with business. My article for the CIPR’s Influence magazine.

As the ‘professional body for government communicators’, the materials the Government Communications Service (GCS) made publicly available are a fabulous resource for all communicators. But change has been coming for some time. The ‘reshaping’ programme started in July 2020, with the intention to ‘form a more united, modern profession running fewer, bigger and better campaigns’.

The headlines focused on the proposed reduction in headcount and also aimed to strengthen engagement with arm’s-length bodies (ALBs), as well as delivering fewer, but bigger and better, campaigns addressing core government objectives. However, the reform has been turbo-charged by both Covid and personalities at the very heart of government.

My full article is available to subscribers of Influence Magazine, here.