Page 18 - An Introduction to Political Communication Third Edition

PREFACE TO THE

THIRD EDITION

Since the second edition of this book went to the press in the
summer of 1999, the trends in political communication identified
then have continued to be the subject of contention. With the
re-election of Tony Blair’s New Labour government in June 2001
debates about its use of spin and the UK government’s information
apparatus were given fresh impetus. Well-publicised gaffes such
as the infamous internal e-mail sent by a special advisor to the
UK Transport Ministry on 11 September 2001, suggesting that
this would be ‘a good day to bury bad news’, were greeted with
hostility, leading on that occasion to the eventual departure of the
advisor in question and yet another wave of negative publicity for
spinners in general. Peter Mandelson, for many commentators the
personification of all that is bad about political communication in
the era of spin, was obliged to resign from the UK Cabinet for a
second time following allegations about his role in the Hinduja
passport affair. He later expressed regret for the excesses of New
Labour’s spin operation during his period in office.
At the same time, and more positively, Blair’s government has
introduced important reforms of the information management
system, such as the relaxation of Lobby rules about attribution, and
the introduction, for the first time in British political history, of live,
televised prime ministerial media briefings. In 2002 Blair – again,
setting a precedent – submitted himself to two hours of questioning
about his performance from a House of Commons sub-committee.
Whether welcomed or condemned by observers, these and other
developments in the practice of political communication have
kept the subject at the forefront of debate amongst politicians,
journalists and academics.
These debates have been conducted in the shadow of a perceived
‘crisis of democratic participation’ in several countries, including

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