With a UK-wide Lockdown in force, more and more people are working from home. Meetings will no longer take place in person but via Skype, Zoom or other communication packages. The slow drift to change has taken on a new life in times of crisis. Yet there is nothing new about home working. Almost a […]
Over a month into the new Parliament many MPs are writing and delivering their Maiden Speeches. I’ve had a few requests for help, so here’s a short list of things to consider and objectives to achieve when creating your first masterpiece. GET IT DONE Everyone gets to do one Maiden Speech before they make regular […]
On 31st January, Boris Johnson delivered a short speech to mark the UK leaving the EU. It wasn’t carried by many broadcast channels but the speech has been viewed millions of times on line, demonstrating the continuing rise of new media and the decline of traditional institutions. Downing Street have issued a transcript so I […]
Hot on the heels of the 2019 General Election, comes the 2020 London contest. On 7th May the capital goes to the polls to decide who will be the Mayor for the next four year term. The 25 Member London Assembly will also be up for grabs with its 14 large First Past The Post […]
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 […]
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 […]