Useful tools in the lobbyist’s toolbox – The Grid

Over the coming weeks, I’m going to look at some of  practical tools in the lobbyist’s toolbox. I’ll start with one of the most useful, The Grid, made well known by Alastair Campbell when he worked for  Tony Blair in government. If you head Public Affairs in any organisation that has more than three people, … Read more

Why I believe in Turtle Worship and you should too

A lot of campaigning and lobbying in Brussels is like this. The Standard Operating Model I [add in name of client/interest] believe in Turtle Worship* [add in name of something suitably random and obscure].  I am manically obsessed about Turtle Worship [add in your pet obsession].  There are many people who agree with me. I’ve met … Read more

Talk, Maastricht University, 9 July 2025.

Practitioner Session: The Lobby Plan. ECPR. Maastricht University. 9 July 2025 Today, I’m going to talk about the ‘Lobby Plan’. It goes by other names – a campaign plan. It is on a topic that I teach every year at Maastricht’s MA in European Public Affairs. You have access to the article that Professor De … Read more