Barndoor Strategy’s Roger Evans turns his expert eye to each of this year’s party conference speeches. Jo Swinson – Speech to the 2019 Lib Dem Conference I rather like Jo Swinson. She seems to be the sort of person you could trust to look after the cat whilst you head off to Portugal for a […]
The Election Is Coming! Every week sees a new list of available seats rolled out seeking prospective candidates. Some are a more tempting prospect than others but all require the completion of a three page ‘Candidate CV’. This is the vital first stage in the selection process so it needs to be done well. […]
Since 2006 I have been advising clients facing the ordeal of a political selection interview. I like to keep my advice positive and upbeat but I’ve seen a lot of howlers committed, some more often than others. One error might not lose it for you but several together will guarantee you another rejection letter. The […]
(Barndoor Strategy CEO Havard Hughes with Boris Johnson) The polls have now closed in the Conservative leadership contest and it is all but inevitable that next Tuesday, Boris Johnson will be named as the new party leader and therefore the new Prime Minister. There has been much mainstream media criticism of the fact that […]
Nobody quite knows how the Brexit impasse will end. But whether we leave on the 12th April, stay for a short while or have a further long extension, one thing is clear. The UK will be heading for a General Election a lot sooner than 2022. Parliamentary parties and structures have broken down in an […]
Barndoor Strategy’s Roger Evans gives his advice on interview planning. Most interviewees don’t look forward to the ordeal. They view it as a series of hurdles – an opening presentation, an easy first question, a tough question, a sneaky question, some final questions, then they are over the finishing line. The problem with this approach […]
How many times have we heard speakers say that? It is easy to overlook key points or important arguments in the heat of debate, particularly if you are thinking about your body language and the reaction of the audience at the same time. Even when speeches are written it is all too common for pearls […]
Barndoor Strategy’s Roger Evans writes…. One of my first encounters with Boris Johnson came shortly after he was elected Mayor of London in 2008. In the absence of the then Conservative Group Leader, I was summoned to the top floor to brief the Mayor on the political views of colleagues. After I had been […]
Roger leads Barndoor Strategy’s executive coaching team. He has advised government ministers, senior managers and clients facing tough interviews, critical presentations and crisis management situations. How did you develop your own skills? In my early twenties I had a sales job in the City. To be frank, I wasn’t a very strong salesman but I […]