Day: 10 February 2026

CIPR calls for transparency over Mandelson lobbying links

Stuart Mitchell

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has called for the immediate release of full transparency information relating to Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm and its role in securing government contracts for Palantir, warning that the current lobbying system is “failing the public”. The call follows The Guardian reporting that Global Counsel, the firm co-founded by Mandelson, may have been involved in the awarding of public contracts to Palantir after helping to arrange a meeting between the company’s chief executive and the prime minister, Keir Starmer. Global Counsel is registered with…

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Purple Tree Communications Becomes First Agency to Achieve PRCA CMS Go Accreditation

Stuart Mitchell

Purple Tree Communications, a female-founded, independent PR agency, has become the first agency in the UK to be awarded the PRCA CMS Go accreditation, a newly launched best-practice standard developed specifically for small agencies. The Communication Management Standard (CMS) is the only globally recognised best-practice accreditation for PR and communications agencies. Developed by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), CMS assesses agencies across nine key areas, including Leadership and Communication, Business Planning, Financial Management, Client Satisfaction, People Management, Campaign Delivery, and Equity. In 2025, the PRCA introduced CMS Go,…

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IPAi Forum to help agencies navigate the fast-moving world of Generative AI

Stuart Mitchell

The IPA has launched IPAi Forum, a new, free thought-leadership platform designed to help advertising agencies navigate the fast-moving and increasingly complex world of Generative AI and practical AI deployment. IPAi Forum cuts through the AI hype to provide grounded, real-world insight into where AI is adding genuine value, how agencies are deploying it today and what pitfalls to avoid. It also explores what comes next. Alongside this, the Forum supports agencies in building the skills and capabilities the industry needs, with practical guidance on training, legal and regulatory considerations,…

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UNESCO Trains Judicial Professionals on Fact-Checking and Countering Disinformation

Stuart Mitchell

UNESCO, in partnership with the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation, conducted a specialized workshop on fact-checking and countering disinformation, in coordination with the Security Media Cell. The workshop is part of the EU-funded “Social Media for Peace” project. The workshop focused on addressing Disinformation through fact-checking mechanisms, contributing to participants’ ability to identify misinformation, and fake news. It also supported the development of a shared professional understanding of information management within judicial contexts. This activity forms part of the National Center’s ongoing efforts to enhance institutional coordination and build…

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Billionaire wealth jumps three times faster in 2025 to highest peak ever, sparking dangerous political inequality says Oxfam

Stuart Mitchell

Billionaire wealth jumped by over 16 percent in 2025, three times faster than the past five-year average, to $18.3 trillion – its highest level in history, according to a new Oxfam report today as the World Economic Forum opens in Davos. Billionaire wealth has increased by 81 percent since 2020. This comes as one in four people don’t regularly have enough to eat and nearly half the world’s population lives in poverty. The report “Resisting the Rule of the Rich: Protecting Freedom from Billionaire Power” analyzes how the super-rich are…

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