unicornnews: PRing questionable expenses

Richard Houghton, Vice-Chairman of the PR Consultants Association, and a partner at B2B consultancy Carrot Communications, has made some interesting observations about the efforts of various political types to justify their more questionable expenses claims.

Writing on his personal blog, A Close Second, Houghton considers the PR challenge for those who have been caught up in the media’s recent onslaught of dodgy expense claim stories (dodgy in the sense, of course, that they normally comply with parliamentary rules, but seem like an excessive use of tax payer’s money nonetheless).

He first refers to Tory MP Eric Pickles and his attempts to justify claiming expenses for a second home in London despite the fact his constituency home is only 40 miles from Westminister. Houghton: “Pickles’ laughable defence on ‘Question Time’ last week was one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Apparently the audience didn’t understand that Westminster works like clockwork so he has to be there on time; public transport is unreliable and as a result he had to work really long days! The audience, with good reason, simply laughed at him”.

Houghton was more impressed with the way the husband of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith – Richard Timney – dealt with the embarrassing revelations that he had charged the rental of two ‘adult films’ to an internet account paid for by his wife’s expenses. Houghton observes: “He handled the situation as best he could. He stepped outside the gate of his house, read a short statement, accepted the anger his actions will have created, said sorry repeatedly and then stepped back through the gate. Short, to the point and direct. I do not think that it will save his wife’s job but if you had to advise him this is what you’d suggest”.

With reports claiming that there are numerous other embarrassing expenses revelations still to come out in the media, it will be interesting to see how other MPs and ministers deal with the personal PR challenge of justifying claims which, while possibly by the book, or by mistake, nevertheless open politicians up to potentially career-destroying misconduct charges.

You can read Richard Houghton’s blog here

Posted Tuesday March 31 2009 by Chris Cooke

Related categories: Political Communications