In today's Daily Telegraph political correspondent Graeme Wilson reports:
Spending on Government spin has trebled under Labour and taxpayers are now supporting an army of more than 3,200 press officers. The dramatic expansion of the Whitehall press machine under Tony Blair is laid bare in official figures obtained by the Conservatives.
A total of 1,815 press officers and other public relations staff works in Whitehall departments. John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, has three press officers, despite no longer having a department.
Not surprisingly, the Telegraph hardly welcomes the news; its leader is headlined: "Taxpayers are funding the wages of spin"
.... One of the most profound sources of disillusionment with New Labour is the belief that its entire approach to governing has been ruled by the priorities of public relations.
.... This insidious culture of press manipulation has infiltrated virtually every institution in the public sector: museums, cultural institutions and community agencies have all learnt the formula. It will take a dedicated effort by any future government to avoid playing the same game.
Good job that its only press relations then! Imagine if they had discovered David Milliband taking 'spin' into Social Media! Wow ... he has!
Of course, the Telegraph does not have a press office plus a Corporate Affairs manager - OK not 3200 of them but based on comparative turnover the newspaper is well over budget with its his wasted expenditure on 'insidious culture of press manipulation'.
It will take a dedicated effort by any future publisher to avoid playing the same game.
Posted by: David Phillips FCIPR | August 30, 2006 at 01:59 PM