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The Mandelson vetting affair has become one of the most instructive, and damaging, examples of crisis communications mismanagement in recent political memory. Not because the underlying facts are necessarily fatal to the government, but because of how catastrophically the communications have been handled. The story, in brief: Peter Mandelson was appointed UK Ambassador to Washington in early 2025, […]
By Lottie Newell When things go wrong, organisations rarely stumble in private. Issues that begin as operational, regulatory or cultural failures quickly become reputational crises, played out in public and judged at speed. That is why boards need to think about risk through a reputation lens, not just an operational one. The UK Corporate Governance […]
By Lottie Newell When I arrived at Alder on the first day of my nine-week internship, I had very little idea of what to expect. I had, of course, researched the company and had thoroughly enjoyed tackling a crisis scenario during my second-round interview, but the world of crisis communications nonetheless remained something of a mystery. I was not left in the dark for very long, however, since my first […]
The UK charity sector has long been a symbol of strength, compassion and resilience. But, as domestic pressures rise and public hostility becomes more visible, its strength and stability are beginning to falter. Recent reports from the Charity Commission highlight concerning trends: charity workers have been verbally and physically abused on the streets, offices have […]
While delivering change is never easy, Reeves’ recent communication strategy, or lack thereof, offers a useful example of precisely how not to deliver a change process.
At the recent AGBIS/HMC/ISBA Heads, Governors and Bursars Conference, Tim Toulmin and Jack Myers shared insights with the audience on the evolving landscape of media, crisis management, and school strategy. While the world of journalism and public scrutiny continues to shift, the fundamentals of integrity, transparency, and strategic clarity remain constant anchors for school leaders. […]
Artificial intelligence is revolutionising the world of communications and crisis communications, but as we embrace this technological leap, we’re also seeing a somewhat disturbing paradox: the smarter our tools become, the less we seem to use our own grey matter. A recent article in The Guardian asked: Are we living in a golden age of […]
In an era where AI-generated falsehoods can ignite social media firestorms in minutes, today’s organisations face threats to their reputations that can strike in an instant and inflict irreparable damage to decades of hard-won trust. At a recent seminar hosted by Crown Office Chambers, Alder’s Tim Toulmin explored how organisations can prepare for crises in […]
The BBC Panorama investigation into Charing Cross Police Station has once again exposed a deeply troubling culture within the Metropolitan Police. Racist, misogynistic, and Islamophobic comments, alongside a disregard for victims, were caught on camera. For many observers and staff, the scenes feel painfully familiar – Charing Cross has been here before, and previous promises […]