‘The government is looking for the next Lex Greensill’

Messages from the archive of Rutherford Hall, critical communications strategist

From: rutherford@monkwellstrategy

To: FionaL@outsos.com

The government is looking for the next Lex Greensill. Well, they wouldn’t put it like that but with or without Boris, ministers are on a savings and efficiency drive and our sources tell us there is renewed openness to private sector companies offering innovative solutions (and leadership contenders all love Whitehall efficiencies). I think we should meet soon to plan a strategy on how to get Outsos challenging for the most fruitful contracts. We’ve just hired a fantastic guy from the Treasury who has been giving us some unique insights into government thinking on this.

Speak soon, Rutherford

Find me on Strava. King of the Mountain, Sydenham Hill; PR London to Brighton: 4h 37s

WhatsApp To Stephen: How much due diligence did we do on the Christopher hire? For a former Treasury special adviser he seems a bit vague. He couldn’t name any of the cabinet office non-exec directors. We can’t have that in front of clients. The government efficiency drive is a big opportunity to exploit him as an asset but he needs coaching.

From: rutherford@monkwellstrategy

To: FionaL@outsos.com

Great to catch up. There is a meaty agenda here. Any government prepared to hand the nation’s health data to Palantir offers rich pickings to any private firm with a decent story to tell.

Tories have been stung by the Greensill business but this may leave them more amenable to established firms with long track records; your Sercos, Group 4s and Carillions (actually, scrub that). We need to draw a line with the past.

We will need to work round civil servants who tend to ask annoying questions about feasibility. Our brilliant new ex-Treasury spad, Christopher, is giving us some interesting angles here. He recommends targeting the departmental non-executive directors who are a good back door to the Tories who appointed them. We have a few good ins there. The key thing with ministers now is just to keep talking about “the blob” which used to mean obstructive officials but now just means anyone who annoys them. It’s a sign that you are on the right side. They want Whitehall headcount cuts, so we need good numbers on job savings.

Is there anything we can dress up as a Brexit opportunity? They’re very keen on those but haven’t found many. Procurement rules; imperial measures; it doesn’t need to withstand real scrutiny, they just need to be able to say it without laughing.

But we also need a twin-track approach for the sceptical public audience. Think-tanks are very useful here. They are always grubbing around for cash and will happily take your money to fund a report on something useful. The Tory think-tanks have good lines into government and can turn around a report on ways the private sector can improve public service. Then we can stage a launch event with the minister, a policy adviser close to the PM and you and we’re away. It’s what we call a premier-in. These reports can also help persuade a wider public. We are working up a strategy now to show we can provide services just as badly but at lower cost.

Is there anyone you can second to the cabinet office? Once you get one person inside it is much easier to identify opportunities for expensive work you can take off Whitehall’s hands. And as Greensill showed, the due diligence falls off a cliff if the cabinet secretary is vouching for you.

Keep in touch, Rutherford

Find me on Strava. KoM Sydenham Hill; PR London to Brighton: 4h 37m

WhatsApp: To Stephen: Just checking, it was HM Treasury he worked for?  Not the Treasury of Children’s Verse? Or the Treasury of Lego? I know he was only a media aide but I’m not sure he knows the difference between departmental expenditure limits and annually managed expenditure. He’s so shaky we may have to promote him just to cover our tracks.

WhatsApp: To FionaL: Yes I’m sorry Christopher had to duck out. I’m not supposed to say but he had — well let’s just say — a v high level meeting. He is a bit self-effacing and likes to work off-grid but he’s gold dust. In fact, we are about to promote him just to stave off other offers. Anyway we’ll fix another time.

WhatsApp: To Christopher. Glad you are happy with the new title. But with great office comes great responsibility so I hope you don’t mind a few tips. Maybe learn the names of the leading Treasury and cab office figures. Have a whizz through the red book and google anything you don’t know. Read some newspapers and a few books, The FT, the Economist, Investopedia; Whitehall for Dummies. We’re building a whole strategy around you, Christopher. It’s time to take the next big step.

Messages recovered by Robert Shrimsley