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Guidance is "causing confusion and a chilling effect on public discussion" and should be withdrawn, experts say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
DHSC to pay up to £125k for six-month post after test and trace comms chief moves to royal household
20 Aug 2021 Communications
DHSC to pay up to £125k for six-month post after test and trace comms chief moves to royal household
Contract to fill “prominent and politically sensitive role” awarded without competitive tender
Government analyses social ‘narratives and influencers’ to support Covid response
30 Jul 2021 Communications
Government analyses social ‘narratives and influencers’ to support Covid response
Contract worth £1.4m signed at the start of the year
Ministers need new rules for the WhatsApp age, ex-cab secs say
27 Apr 2021 Communications
Ministers need new rules for the WhatsApp age, ex-cab secs say
O’Donnell and Sedwill says ministers should not communicate with businesses and press without an official record
PM wanted to ask cab sec to stop leak inquiry that implicated fiancée's friend, Cummings alleges
26 Apr 2021 Communications
PM wanted to ask cab sec to stop leak inquiry that implicated fiancée's friend, Cummings alleges
Ex-spad denies leaking text messages between Johnson and James Dyson amid lobbying row
Civil servants warned of spying link to social media contacts
20 Apr 2021 Communications
Civil servants warned of spying link to social media contacts
MI5 says more than 10,000 incidents have been recorded as campaign flags threat from fake business profiles
Departments go quiet amid mourning for Prince Philip
12 Apr 2021 Communications
Departments go quiet amid mourning for Prince Philip
Government will not make public announcements or issue press releases unless they are necessary for public safety
Treasury publishes Rishi Sunak’s text messages to David Cameron in Greensill lobbying row
09 Apr 2021 Communications
Treasury publishes Rishi Sunak’s text messages to David Cameron in Greensill lobbying row
Chancellor ‘pushed officials to explore options’ messages reveal, but no support was agreed
Cabinet Office in £15m research drive to gauge public attitudes to government policies
07 Apr 2021 Communications
Cabinet Office in £15m research drive to gauge public attitudes to government policies
Market-research companies will poll public and businesses on EU exit, coronavirus and other No.10 priorities
Departments will have to fight to keep big in-house comms teams in shake-up
18 Mar 2021 Communications
Departments will have to fight to keep big in-house comms teams in shake-up
Union says it has been warned a voluntary redundancy scheme is part of ministers' plans for centralised media service
Government comms ‘need overhaul’ after Covid-19 blunders and spin
01 Feb 2021 Communications
Government comms ‘need overhaul’ after Covid-19 blunders and spin
Fact-checking charity calls for inquiry and says civil service analysts should brief the press on complex issues
HMRC records 12% spike in complaints as customer-service issues continue
11 Jan 2021 Communications
HMRC records 12% spike in complaints as customer-service issues continue
November stats show another increase in call-waiting times and new struggles with answering online and postal queries
Government 'not open enough' about science advice for Covid-19 measures, MPs say
08 Jan 2021 Communications
Government 'not open enough' about science advice for Covid-19 measures, MPs say
Transparency around how SAGE works has improved, but lessons have been applied "inconsistently"
‘I am proud of the way the Government Communication Service has come together under difficult circumstances to deliver exemplary public communication’: Government comms chief Alex Aiken on 2020
23 Dec 2020 Communications
‘I am proud of the way the Government Communication Service has come together under difficult circumstances to deliver exemplary public communication’: Government comms chief Alex Aiken on 2020
2020 was a year unlike any other, with the coronavirus pandemic upending the work of government and changing how we live our daily lives. Senior figures from across the civil service tell us how the unprecedented 12 months affected them, and look ahead to 2021
No.10 seeks prime minister's next spokesperson in ongoing comms shake-up
17 Dec 2020 Communications
No.10 seeks prime minister's next spokesperson in ongoing comms shake-up
£120,000 on offer for the successor to James Slack, who was promoted to comms director
Centralised comms function ‘won’t be in place before April’
30 Nov 2020 Communications
Centralised comms function ‘won’t be in place before April’
Union says project team briefing suggests any staff changes will be in the second half of 2021
Outsourced contract is ‘double slap in face’ for comms staff, says union
16 Nov 2020 Communications
Outsourced contract is ‘double slap in face’ for comms staff, says union
PCS calls £670k spent on PR for Vaccine Taskforce “outrageous” as departmental comms professionals face uncertain future
PM’s comms chief praises 'unsung' civil servants as he quits amid No.10 infighting
12 Nov 2020 Communications
PM’s comms chief praises "unsung" civil servants as he quits amid No.10 infighting
Shock resignation comes amid reports Dominic Cummings also threatened to resign
Cummings lockdown trip 'undermined' government's Covid messages, Sedwill says
21 Oct 2020 Communications
Cummings lockdown trip 'undermined' government's Covid messages, Sedwill says
Sedwill says spad's trip to Durham was a "mistake"
Government accused of breaking civil service rules on Harding appointment
21 Sep 2020 Communications
Government accused of breaking civil service rules on Harding appointment
Appointing Dido Harding to head up the National Institute for Health Protection is a breach of the civil service code, Labour peers claim
Rycroft reveals revised Twitter guidelines after Home Office’s ‘activist lawyers’ post
11 Sep 2020 Communications
Rycroft reveals revised Twitter guidelines after Home Office’s ‘activist lawyers’ post
Perm sec says additional layers of assurance have been introduced following the tweet, which he previously said ‘should not have been used on an official government channel’
GDS contractor recruited through Cummings blog fired after ‘revulsion’ over Black Lives Matter tweet
04 Sep 2020 Communications
GDS contractor recruited through Cummings blog fired after ‘revulsion’ over Black Lives Matter tweet
Data specialist suggested online that police could use ‘live rounds’ on protesters
Home Office perm sec bans controversial department video that referred to ‘activist lawyers’
28 Aug 2020 Communications
Home Office perm sec bans controversial department video that referred to ‘activist lawyers’
Matthew Rycroft bans official Twitter clip dismissing people providing legal representation for asylum seekers as “activist lawyers”
Unions call for jobs guarantee in huge government comms reorganisation
21 Aug 2020 Communications
Unions call for jobs guarantee in huge government comms reorganisation
PCS says centralisation drive could put thousands of staff at risk and give No.10 "unprecedented control"
DIT offers £120,000 for communications chief as No.10 presses ahead with comms reforms
14 Aug 2020 Communications
DIT offers £120,000 for communications chief as No.10 presses ahead with comms reforms
Comms director will “have a key role in leading [their] team through the changes to the Government Communication Service’s operating model”, job ad says