Grayling Political Strategy

This article is part of a series on the 2005-2006 national debate on nuclear power in the UK

Energy Review (UK 2006) "Our Energy Challenge" British Nuclear Energy Society British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) Civil Nuclear Industry Scottish CPG Nirex Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) Nuclear Energy APPG Nuclear Industry Association Supporters of Nuclear Energy (SONE)

For more articles on this topic, see the NuclearSpin website

According to its website, "Grayling Political Strategy (GPS) connects the worlds of Westminster and Whitehall in London, the European Commission and European Parliament in Brussels, the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff and the Dail in Dublin" [1].

GPS is a lobbying firm owned by Grayling, which is in turn owned by Huntsworth. Amongst its owned firms are Westminster Strategy.

It has offices in London, Brussels, Cardiff, Dublin, and Edinburgh. Its chief executive is Vivien Hepworth. [2]. It is part of a larger PR firm, the Grayling Group, whose chief executive is Nigel Kennedy [3].

Clients

GPS was hired in January 2004 by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) [4] [5]. According to the APPC register, it was still being retained by UKAEA as of May 2005 [6] (PDF). Some idea of Grayling's efforts on behalf of UKAEA can be gleaned from their attempt to co-opt the New Economics Foundation, a think tank that opposes nuclear energy. According to a paper on energy policy published by the foundation,

"Even nef was invited to become part of the [nuclear] charm offensive in the build up to the political party conference season in 2005 by a public relations firm, Grayling Political Strategy, taken on by the UKAEA." [7] (PDF)

Among its nuclear clients are the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management.

Personnel

• Russell Patten Chief Executive of Grayling Political Strategy and President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Brussels

Contact details

1 Bedford Avenue,
London WC1B 3AU.
Tel: +44 20 7255 1100
Fax: +44 20 7255 5454
Email: info AT uk.grayling.com
Web: http://www.grayling.com/what/what_strategy.htm

Resources

SourceWatch resources

• Grayling Political Strategy, UK Clients and Staff 1.12.03 to 31.05.04
• Grayling Political Strategy, UK Clients and Staff 1 June 2005 to 30 November 2005
• National debate on nuclear power (UK 2005-2006)
• New Economics Foundation

External links

• "allmediascotland.com bulletin", January 30, 2004. Mentions UKAEA hiring GPS.
• UKAEA contracts bulletin, May 2004. Mentions the contract with Grayling.
• APPC register, Dec 2004-May 2005. Contains list of Grayling's clients.
• Jonathan Leake and Dan Box, "The nuclear charm offensive", New Statesman, May 23, 2005. Subscription req'd after first page view. Available without restrictions at the Australian Financial Review.
• Andrew Simms, Petra Kjell, and David Woodward, "Mirage and oasis: Energy choices in an age of global warming. The trouble with nuclear power and the potential of renewable energy" (report), the New Economics Foundation, June 2005, (1.2MB PDF).

For further information, see relevant SpinProfiles page Grayling Political Strategy