When the government has tripped over its own bones, much of the internal criticism has been about the Prime Minister’s office being too ill-equipped to deal with small and large crises. The impression left is that matters are poorly established, the processes are flawed and the communication too weak. The irony of fate It is therefore the irony of fate that what was supposed to remedy the problem, new communications advisers to assist Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, has become an open study in how Ap in government messes it up: What could have been a file case has become a cocktail of breach of promise, weak handling, flag flight and trouble with the trade union movement. Because some eyebrows were raised when Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre brought in his new spin doctor, Kristoffer Thoner, from the consulting company McKinsey. A spin doctor sounds mysterious, but is in reality a communications consultant who works to make the politicians appear as good as possible in the media. Thoner previously worked for the Labor Party, but in recent years he has been a junior partner in the global company. Part of the contract with McKinsey is that their clients have a right to discretion. Trifle or fox in the henhouse? It can of course be problematic that Støre has an adviser who you do not know who has worked for. In practice it is probably a marginal problem. If you had brought in a lawyer, who often has secret client lists, hardly anyone would ask. Many take it for granted that he has his loyalty completely with his new employer. While the newspaper Klassekampen is among those who believe that by hiring from McKinsey, Støre is letting “the fox into the henhouse”. When the case grows larger, it is mainly about the handling. And it is essentially a self-inflicted problem. Because the Prime Minister meets many familiar and loved faces, including his own, in the famous door. Støre himself has said that the PR industry and the sale of old networks “offer him”. The quotes from party colleagues and not least government partner Sp have been even more toxic. “Persona non grata” SP leader Vedum promised strict rules against “mingling with the elite”. Before the summer, Sp’s parliamentary representatives were required to hang up if they called from a PR agency. Then you haven’t exactly created much room for maneuver for how you can maneuver yourself in government. There were several in the party who shook their heads a little warningly when Ap and Sp in opposition fired up at the PR industry. Norway is a small country. How wise is it to declare industries and those who work there “persona non grata”? How long is it until Ap (or Sp) again have to go canoeing because they employ someone from “the dark side”? Although one might wish that the parties brought in more plumbers, nursing assistants and teachers as communications advisers, there are many who have visited one or another agency. There is probably something about getting a lot of training and specialist skills. But when Støre chose to run from old truths, one can wonder how the Prime Minister’s office has thought. Because someone must have asked: Now we are hiring a spin doctor from McKinsey with a secret client list. How can we ensure that there is as little noise as possible? The Prime Minister meets many familiar and dear faces, including his own, in the famous door when he hires a consultant from McKinsey. Here are the two together the last time Kristoffer Thoner worked for Støre. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB From redoubt to redoubt You don’t even have to visit a PR agency to know that crisis communication is about avoiding the kind of dishonorable slippage that we have now witnessed. First, the prime minister’s office tried to paint McKinsey as not belonging to the PR industry, but a company that “deals with economic analysis”. Although there is more power, influence and money in the multibillion-dollar corporation McKinsey than in any Norwegian PR agency will be close to. In the first days, Støre was very understanding that some industries “required confidentiality”. That understanding had a short life. After a few days, the demand against McKinsey grew that they had to open up about the client lists. Then parliamentary leader Marit Arnstad (Sp) had not once tried to hide what she thought about the secret customer lists of Støre’s new key employee. The shake of the head at Folkets Hus And when the hunt for the customer lists had been officially started by the Prime Minister, the customers came in droves. First Telenor. Then Amedia. For a while there was confusion as to whether NHO was a customer or not. The speculation will probably live on for a while. How do you top it? Yes, you let LO bring out the sledgehammer. First there were rumors of “frustration and head shaking” at Youngstorget and Folkets Hus. The LO leadership then stepped in: I expect Jonas Gahr Støre to clean up, said LO leader Peggy Følsvik. Life and learning must go together, adds Fellesforbundet’s leader Jørn Eggum. To further rub it in. Both sit on Aps’ central board. And one would perhaps think that such a controversial and important appointment was, if not exactly blessed, at least rooted there. Moreover, it is not easy to see how Støre can “clean up” further. If he doesn’t force McKinsey to his knees, after having been forced to his knees himself. Scratches in the paint This is of course an issue that can blow over quickly. Ordinary people are probably more worried about electricity prices, interest rate jumps and the price of Christmas food than about the background of the Prime Minister’s secretary of state. But it could lead to another small scratch where Støre needs it the least: on his management skills. On the positive side, Støre does not have to work hard to convince that he really needed a skilled spin doctor.
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Is there a spin doctor in the room? – Speech
