http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/blog/index/ en anna.appleton@theopen-road.com Copyright 2010 2010-09-03T17:00:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/the_weekly_round_up3/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/the_weekly_round_up3/#When:17:00:00Z At the start of the ‘journey’… It’s nearly the end of recess and starting from Monday, there will hopefully be real news.  However this week has seen one story dominate the press and that was Hague and his Spad.  Guido followed the Daily Mail and Telegraph in reporting this and seems to be enjoying all the attention. Stephen Tall at Lib Dem Voice and Alex Massie in the Spectator have written interesting pieces, discussing the issues involved such as abuse of power and use of FOI instead of luridly speculating on rumours.  Tony Blair also published his memoirs ‘A Journey’ (sickening) which has now become the quickest selling autobiography ever in Waterstones.  While it may be at the top of Amazon’s best seller list, Jim Packard at the FT has written a great piece pointing out what a rubbish writer Blair is.  Kiran Stacey also at the FT has helpfully summarised the book into just a few short paragraphs. David and Samantha Cameron brought their new daughter, Florence Rose Endellion home to 10 Downing Street and presented her to the press.  When asked if Clegg had changed any nappies yet, Cameron said ‘that’s next’.  I really really hope it is.  Another cute story which we all enjoyed in the office was the birth of a rare male pygmy hippo in Poland. We watched the story several times, mainly focusing on the eyes. It’s sweet and freaky at the same time.  The final piece of news this week was that Jennifer Saunders will be writing a Spice Girls Musical, Viva Forever. I cannot wait. One last note, voting for the next Labour leader has begun so if you have a vote (or a few votes), you can take this test to find out which candidate you should be supporting.  I came out as David Miliband. Not sure how I feel about that. 2010-09-03T17:00:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/the_rise_of_the_nutters/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/the_rise_of_the_nutters/#When:11:03:00Z Fans of the Thick of It will be disturbed and delighted to know that despite the change of government life continues to imitate art. So in tribute to 100 days of the coalition, Open Road picks out its top 3 Thick of It moments: 4th sector Pathfinders To quote Nicola Murray, “The Fourth Sector is between the other three sectors, but it’s also the periphery around them, so it’s very much encompassing. It’s incorporating, it’s enveloping, within and without. We want to elect certain people as fourth sector pathfinders who are ordinary people doing extraordinary things within their community… but are not vigilantes.” Sound familiar? Last week I was delighted to find the following Cabinet Office press release in my inbox. Tactical Resignations Malcolm Tucker on the early resignation “Look, people really like it when you go just a bit early! You know, steely jawed, faraway look in your eyes! Before they get to the point when they sit round in pubs and say “Oh, that fucker’s got to go!”, you surprise them! “Blimey, he’s gone! I didn’t expect that! Resigned! You don’t see THAT much anymore! Old school! Respect! I rather liked the guy! He was hounded out by the fucking press!” Rumours abound about the return of David Laws to the Cabinet… Non-announcements Remember the disgruntled civil servant in series one who was blamed for incorrectly briefing the press about something the government changed its mind about? Of course you dont, only diehard fans remember the first series. It is somewhat reminiscent of the recent non-resignation of Cabinet Secretary Gus O’Donnell, which Channel 4 News definitely weren’t briefed about.  2010-08-18T11:03:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/maponomics/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/maponomics/#When:16:33:00Z Silly season is upon us, so the political geeks at Open Road are turning their sights Stateside (apparently the Labour mayoral selection isn’t exciting enough for them). We even anticipate some missives from our man in Philadelphia updating us on the progress of the campaign. And look what I unearthed on the internet! An exciting infographic (yes, infographics are exciting) from the Associated Press measuring the economic stress the different states have been under since the recession began. It’s worth a look, and will make for an interesting comparison with the election results come November time. Hat tip to @oliconner for the link. 2010-08-03T16:33:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/political_lookalikes_jeremy_browne/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/political_lookalikes_jeremy_browne/#When:14:51:00Z I found another political lookalike when watching Lib Dem Foreign Minister Jeremy Browne on the BBC discussing the behaviour of British tourists abroad.  His twin is footballer Alan Shearer. Jeremy Browne MP Alan Shearer One difference: Jeremy Browne doesn’t have an awful receding hairline.  2010-07-21T14:51:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/the_weekly_round_up2/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/the_weekly_round_up2/#When:16:03:00Z Possibly the final instalment of the Weekly Round-Up, I’m going on a temporary career break. It seems the steady stream of government criticism has begun, or at least the Guardian seems to have finally got its tribalists into the paper. First, Polly Toynbee’s considered if slightly predictable piece speaking up for cuts in Housing Benefit. Worth noting perhaps only because the Guardian’s coverage of evil Tory cuts has been slightly muted so far, and Toynbee, alongside George Monbiot, seemed to have been deployed in the same week to get stuck in. Monbiot’s topic is the abolition of the Foods Standards Agency, and the inevitable exploitation of everyone by big business that will follow. Personally, despite my cynical tone and his hyperbole, I agree with him, but Monbiot’s suggestions (if any) are rarely designed for policy consideration, more gentle therapy for the sort of Guardian reader so hated by the Mail. Finally, something way off topic, and once again ripped from the Guardian (sorry), an article on the art of slow reading, or, how not to read blogs like these. Despite the author’s prediction that I wouldn’t read till the end of the article, I did, and was glad. And some video of Lord Mandelson on This Morning (watch from 10.00 onwards). As always, indisputably squirm inducing, and always able to make the interviewer’s interruption fail to sting. He has faced harder opponents than Holly Willoughby, but still.  And so nearly a great visual plug for one of Open Road’s clients. 2010-07-16T16:03:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/open_road_speak_to_dan_sabbagh/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/open_road_speak_to_dan_sabbagh/#When:08:16:00Z 2010-07-13T08:16:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/milk/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/milk/#When:15:21:00Z A quick tribute to the PR team behind one of the most well-stocked celebrity campaigns around: the Milk Marketing Forum’s ‘Make Mine Milk’, seen on buses and billboards all over the place, and staring, Gordon Ramsey, Pixie Lott, Usher and teh cast of the A-team. Not a bad line-up, even more so considering they all look pretty stupid. So Usher has a new album, ‘the A-team’ are back in cinemas and Gordon Ramsey… Anyway, they have their reasons for exposure, and it is indeed highly exposed, so well done to whichever advertising and PR team picked this one up - but there must be some serious money behind it too. I’m not one to regualrly sympathise with the Tax Payers’ Alliance, and I supopse i think I quite like the ads, but maybe the EU’s money could be better diverted? 2010-07-09T15:21:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/the_weekly_round_up1/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/the_weekly_round_up1/#When:16:58:00Z As usual, we begin with a nod to the inestimable Paul Waugh, but this time as a dependable source, not author, of a good story. This one about those poor MPs between a rock and hard place, or a nice bed and a sofa bed. And here’s the Coffee House recommendation to prove I have (good) taste. Second, the suspiciously over-edited ‘Diary of a Civil Servant’ that appeared in last Sunday’s Observer. Although this civil servant seems to be either the most unimaginative prosodist since Andy Burnham, or wrote something a bit crap and the Observer made it up, it does contain a good recommendation about conferences. Finally, the revelation of a Open Road crush that will not suprise many sane people, Benedict Brogan’s blog dedicated to swoon-when-you-read-his-CV new Tory MP Rory Stewart’s maiden speech. Brad Pitt has apparently optioned the film rights to his life (as Orlando Bloom), and if you google him, second and fourth suggestion are ‘married’ and girlfriend’. He doesn’t have one, so go for it. 2010-07-01T16:58:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/political_lookalikes_vince_cable/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/political_lookalikes_vince_cable/#When:07:11:00Z The next in our lookalike series is Vince Cable, Lib Dem MP for Twickenham and Business Secretary.  Here you can see his long lost twin, Friar Tuck, from Robin Hood (the 1973 cartoon version). It’s all in the eyebrows and hair. 2010-06-30T07:11:00+00:00 http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/political_lookalikes1/ http://www.theopen-road.com/index.php/site/permalink/political_lookalikes1/#When:14:59:00Z I watched the film Bright Star recently, an account of the poet Keats’ romance with a young woman who is a somewhat dubious fashionista.  The whole way through I was slightly preoccupied with examining the actor playing Keats, Ben Whishaw.  What made him so distracting was the resemblance between him and my top political crush, Rory Stewart.  With these political lookalike blog posts, I get to trawl through photos of MPs and in this case, I was all too happy to google photos of Rory Stewart for a whole evening (and next morning).  It took a while to narrow it down as there were just too many photos of Mr Stewart that needed publishing but I finally managed to pick the one below as I felt it showed the resemblance best. Rory Stewart MP Ben Whishaw The photo below is just for me and everyone else out there crushing on Rory Stewart.  HOT. 2010-06-29T14:59:00+00:00