PRN chats politics and comms with Laura Silver, Editor of PoliticsHome
As we navigate the complexities of a monumental voting year, with over 2 billion people casting their votes across 50 countries, the outcome of these elections will significantly impact the communications landscape.
As one of the country’s most esteemed and impartial political journalists, we invited Laura Silver, Editor of PoliticsHome, to share a small glimpse into her world with our senior comms leader group. It was a fascinating session, covering:
❌ Labour’s deliberate strategy of keeping quiet and letting the Conservative ‘drama’ play out, thereby limiting the time for its policies to be unpicked
❌ Although currently lacking the positive change messaging of 1997 (UK followers - remember the election anthem of Things Can Only Get Better?), Laura reminded us that there was a similar vague narrative from Labour in the lead up to the general election 25 years ago
❌ Keir Starmer opening up about his passion for football is a smart move to appeal to voters, positioning him as ‘one of the people’. While he may lack the charisma of Blair, people weren’t that aware of Blair before he came to power either
❌ Why the Prime Minister choosing to promote his economic plans through young finance influencers was a smart move. No interruptions, or the grilling he might expect from journalists, meanwhile increasing his reach among younger voters. Plus, it got picked up on Insta and TikTok which is where those voters are to be found…A shocking stat from My Life My Say, a youth-led movement on a mission to get every single young person voting, only approximately one third of young voters are expected to show up on Election Day, compared to over two thirds who vote as part of reality TV shows
❌ The authoritative polls to pay close attention to as we head towards the general election - FT, Politico and Sky. They’re consistently reporting a considerable lead for Labour - 43% ahead in every demographic and region, except for the over 65s
❌ Devolved local power demonstrates the need for regional media, however there’s a severe lack of funding in regional publications. National titles can’t go deep on regional issues, so communicating local policies has become more challenging than ever
✨ Huge thanks to our resident artist, Caroline Chapple (tag), for capturing the conversation so brilliantly as ever 🧑🎨
With our global network spanning over 60 countries, we’re already seeing the effect on client campaigns and the need to be sensitive in an uncertain political landscape. With an election every two months across the world this year, our local in-market experts can help to plan your communications so your campaigns soar, are relevant and sensitive - and cut through the election noise. Please get in touch if you’d like to know more.