Former top civil servants sign letter urging ministers to withdraw guidance on public speaking
14 Jul Communications

Former top civil servants sign letter urging ministers to withdraw guidance on public speaking

Guidance is "causing confusion and a chilling effect on public discussion" and should be withdrawn, experts say
by Beckie Smith
ICO issues guidance on disclosing documents securely following MoD security breach
01 Aug Communications
ICO issues guidance on disclosing documents securely following MoD security breach
Former Sun editor David Dinsmore appointed as perm sec-level director of comms
31 Jul Communications
Former Sun editor David Dinsmore appointed as perm sec-level director of comms
Civil Service World announces partnership with the Charity for Civil Servants
09 Jul Communications
Civil Service World announces partnership with the Charity for Civil Servants
Home Office’s secretive anti-extremism comms unit signs £1m media monitoring deal
03 May 2022 Communications
Home Office’s secretive anti-extremism comms unit signs £1m media monitoring deal
RICU facility signs two-year contract
‘Wholesale undermining of transparency’: What do we know about the Cabinet Office clearing house?
28 Apr 2022 Communications
‘Wholesale undermining of transparency’: What do we know about the Cabinet Office clearing house?
Ahead of the release of a PACAC report into the secretive unit, CSW speaks to three FoI experts to find out their concerns about the clearing house
Prevent strategy 'will not survive' unless government counters critics, David Cameron says
26 Apr 2022 Communications
Prevent strategy 'will not survive' unless government counters critics, David Cameron says
Those who criticise the Home Office counter-radicalisation strategy are enabling terrorism, ex-PM says
Eight rules for communicating public health risk in a crisis – from horsemeat to Covid
06 Apr 2022 Communications
Eight rules for communicating public health risk in a crisis – from horsemeat to Covid
How has the government's crisis communications in the pandemic compared with Labour’s handling of swine flu in 2009 or the Coalition’s response to the horsemeat scandal in 2013?
Cabinet Office anti-misinformation unit buys £75k ‘social listening tool’
04 Mar 2022 Communications
Cabinet Office anti-misinformation unit buys £75k ‘social listening tool’
Rapid Response Unit's deal with software firm gives officials access to "unlimited searches"
DWP offers £120k a year for next comms chief
03 Mar 2022 Communications
DWP offers £120k a year for next comms chief
Recruitment campaign follows Lisa Hunter’s move to the Government Communication Service
Wall of secrecy surrounds DCMS's Counter-Disinformation Unit
22 Feb 2022 Communications
Wall of secrecy surrounds DCMS's Counter-Disinformation Unit
Department remains tight-lipped on its fake-news-battling operations, in the face of intervention from the Information Commissioner's Office
Specialist consultants called in to help with Covid public inquiry comms strategy Exclusive
17 Feb 2022 Communications
Specialist consultants called in to help with Covid public inquiry comms strategy
Agency to provide advice on media relations and a consultation on the public inquiry's terms of reference
Scotland's chief medical officer apologises for retweeting 'political messaging'
15 Feb 2022 Communications
Scotland's chief medical officer apologises for retweeting 'political messaging'
Gregor Smith was accused of breaking the civil service code
Foreign Office chief apologises over 'mistaken' evidence to MPs about Afghan animal rescue
31 Jan 2022 Communications
Foreign Office chief apologises over 'mistaken' evidence to MPs about Afghan animal rescue
Barton says he has "no recollection of having seen emails" suggesting staff believed the PM authorised the evacuation of animals
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
28 Jan 2022 Communications
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
NHS England chief rapped for failure to publish ministerial direction letter on time
Cabinet Office offers £118k for ‘exceptionally talented’ news chief
17 Jan 2022 Communications
Cabinet Office offers £118k for ‘exceptionally talented’ news chief
The head of news will set the Cabinet Office’s media relations strategy
Departments hunt for new comms chiefs
05 Jan 2022 Communications
Departments hunt for new comms chiefs
HMRC offers up to £130k a year for next top dog but Home Office sets £120k limit
FCDO morale at ‘rock bottom’ as government denies 10% staff cuts planned
17 Dec 2021 Communications
FCDO morale at ‘rock bottom’ as government denies 10% staff cuts planned
Unions condemn "mixed messages" after an email sent to officials said there would be cuts and voluntary redundancy schemes
Allegra Stratton resigns after No.10 Christmas party video leak
08 Dec 2021 Communications
Allegra Stratton resigns after No.10 Christmas party video leak
The PM's former spokesperson said she will regret joking about a party during lockdown last year "for the rest of my days"
Ministers' WhatsApp messages covered by FoI, watchdog confirms
09 Nov 2021 Communications
Ministers' WhatsApp messages covered by FoI, watchdog confirms
Updated guidance recommends copying private messages to corporate email addresses or exporting material regularly
SAGE meeting just once a month as Covid rates rise
20 Oct 2021 Communications
SAGE meeting just once a month as Covid rates rise
Source cites "lessened demand for science advice" for reduction in meetings
Departments told to hand over records of WhatsApp chats used for official business
29 Sep 2021 Communications
Departments told to hand over records of WhatsApp chats used for official business
Campaign group hopes evidence will support its call for judicial review into "WhatsApp government"
Opinion: Improving government communication won’t save muddled policy decisions
17 Sep 2021 Communications
Opinion: Improving government communication won’t save muddled policy decisions
While poor communications can damage public confidence and a government’s reputation, good communications cannot salvage one whose overall approach is inconsistent or dishonest, says IfG’s Alex Thomas
Home Office comms director becomes first GCS chief exec
15 Sep 2021 Communications
Home Office comms director becomes first GCS chief exec
Simon Baugh pledges reform “will deliver more joined-up communications, and provide value for taxpayers”
Truss appoints comms guru as LGBT business champion
10 Sep 2021 Communications
Truss appoints comms guru as LGBT business champion
Cicero/AMO founder Iain Anderson tasked with driving efforts to reduce workplace discrimination
Mixed messaging: Lee Cain's proposals to reform government communications need more clarity
07 Sep 2021 Communications
Mixed messaging: Lee Cain's proposals to reform government communications need more clarity
Kay Hender, head of communications at the FDA union, argues that Lee Cain has identified some of the challenges faced by the Government Communications Service, but his proposed solutions are contradictory and could make things worse
'An analogue system in a digital age': Government comms is failing, ex-No.10 adviser Lee Cain says
06 Sep 2021 Communications
'An analogue system in a digital age': Government comms is failing, ex-No.10 adviser Lee Cain says
“The day-to-day news management has been surrendered to special advisers," former director of communications writes
Officials will reply to unread emails about trapped Afghans 'in days', Raab pledges
01 Sep 2021 Communications
Officials will reply to unread emails about trapped Afghans 'in days', Raab pledges
Foreign secretary says there are "a lot of cases that need to be sifted" after whistleblower reveals 5,000 email backlog