Director of Communications @energygovuk previously @DHSCgovuk @britainisrael @cabinetofficeuk @homeoffice Running coach @dorunrun21
Mar 16, 2020 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
I'm a former Deputy Director of Government communications and ran the Department of Health press office during the swine flu pandemic. Some thoughts on daily press conferences and criticism the Government wasn't getting its comms right. /1
The golden rule is to show that the Government is in control and being open and transparent and available to answer questions. It should have said 2 weeks ago that it would hold weekly or twice weekly press conferences and more if necessary. /2
Sep 25, 2019 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Israeli President has asked Benjamin Netanyahu to try and form a government - but this doesn’t mean he will. He can only get to 55, the magic number is 61 for a majority. The idea from Gantz et al is Netanyahu fails and Gantz has more leverage to try second.
But Netanyahu will do everything he can to coax another 6 MKs over - he will try to split Blue and White, offer Labour juicy jobs etc. Question is whether they all stand firm.
May 6, 2019 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
Latest from Israel-Gaza - ceasefire came into effect at 04:30 local time. IDF say 690 missiles fired at Israel from Saturday morning until the early hours of this morning.
4 Israelis killed and 123 wounded. Palestinian sources say 23 Palestinians killed but Israeli sources say a large number of these were Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters manning military posts or firing missiles.
Dec 4, 2018 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
IDF announcement of major operation on Israel-Lebanon border to destroy Hezbollah tunnels into Israel signals a new and dangerous phase in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israel and Hezbollah fought a war in 2006. Since then, the border has been quiet in terms of extensive exchanges of fire. Hezbollah has been building up a very large arsenal of missiles and since 2011 has deployed thousands of fighters in Syria to support the Assad regime.
