Ten lessons from the UK Government’s Covid-19 communications
The word ‘unprecedented’ has been bandied around a great deal since the Covid-19 pandemic but a lack of basic communications principles have made matters much harder for the UK government.
As with any major crisis, there were always going to be uncertainties, unpredictable developments and a demand for information the government may not yet have.
But high-profile mistakes have undermined the government’s efforts to provide authority, guidance and calm.
Here’s our take on some of the lessons every organisation can learn from the crisis.
1. Stick to what you know is true, especially in the early days when facts may not be clear
The start of a crisis is not the time to be making triumphant proclamations that you may regret or go back on later down the line.
Hubris in the face of a crisis is never a good look and while the government clearly wanted to avoid mass panic or spreading fear, backtracking undermined their credibility.
When news of the virus first broke, instead of urging caution in the midst of uncertainty, Prime Minister Boris Johnson used boastful rhetoric, declaring that: “We have a fantastic NHS, fantastic testing, and fantastic surveillance of the spread of the disease… Our country remains extremely well prepared.”
That clearly was not the case and he would have been wise to be more measured in his initial response.
He then proclaimed that he shook the hands of every coronavirus patient when he visited a hospital and laughed when asked if he was taking any specific steps to shield himself from the virus.
It was all too jovial and nonchalant for what already looked to be a major health crisis when caution and authority would have been a better approach.
2. Keep your messaging simple
Although the government at first dismissed global concerns that the coronavirus was going to have a huge impact on society, when the gravity of the situation evolved rapidly and lockdown was invoked, they put out a slogan that was memorable and straightforward: ‘Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.’
There was no ambiguity in the messaging and no room for misinterpretation.
Whether a situation is simple or complex, particularly where health and wellbeing is concerned, you need to be able to tell your audiences what they need to hear in pithy language and following a consistent theme.
It’s also no use presuming that everyone is glued to your every word. We absorb news far differently to the old days of newsreels in movie theatres.
People have a short attention span when consuming written news; they will listen to the radio or television news while doing other things, so the messages have to be clear and crisp to get through.
For instance, the “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme was designed to help get the leisure economy moving by encouraging the public to eat out as the lockdown eased.
But at the same time, the public were told that they needed to cut down on unhealthy foods to reduce obesity with Boris Johnson claiming that his weight may have been a contributory factor in contracting coronavirus himself.
Likewise, messaging to media must be consistent.
There have been some reports that different journalists were told different things on the same topics to create confusion and divert attention from the challenges being faced.
When your audience wants and needs reassurance and assertive updates, the best approach is to be honest and transparent, even as the situation evolves unpredictably.
When the government’s private media briefings had newspapers celebrating the end of lockdown, only for the government to dismiss the optimism a day later, it did nothing for their credibility.
Machiavellian and confusing under-the-table briefings can provoke panic and fear and also reduce trust in everything you subsequently say.
3. Press briefings must be engaging and newsworthy
Whether or not a situation is as complex as the coronavirus pandemic, with all the changes to normal societal life, regular updates are vital for an ongoing crisis, particularly where so many people are affected.
The government took a while to organise daily briefings, but it took little time for the novelty and levels of interest to wane.
There was much praise and positivity when the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced support through the furlough scheme and later for freelances as well.
But especially when undertaking daily briefings, you need to have something interesting and memorable to say.
Sadly, the government briefings were soon criticised for waffle, obfuscation and confusion. That’s the last thing you want.
Even Tory MPs suggested that they be scaled back because of a lack of content.
Instead of using carefully considered strategic communications planning and messaging, Ministers resorted to making ambitious proclamations that often did not come to pass.
A more joined-up communications plan could have seen each briefing have a theme to maintain interest and create headlines that remained consistent and helped the government navigate the challenging situation by instilling confidence from the nation.
4. Listen to your experts and explain the research you base strategy on
Credibility functions as a pillar of expertise and trustworthiness, with quality information providing reassurance your updates are free of bias.
If your audience is going to trust you, they will want tangible evidence rather than soundbites to back up your messages, particularly in situations where dramatic changes of behaviour or circumstances arise.
Good communication during a crisis requires the knowledge of apolitical experts, who will have a greater understanding of often-complex situations and what needs to be done to address them.
Their expertise also means that they are less likely to make mistakes over complex issues and can often lead and guide briefings to provide reassurance to the public.
The government did not get off to the best start when it delayed locking down the country and talked of herd immunity being the best policy, contrary to the evidence and actions being taken by other countries around the world.
It prompted the ire of 500 eminent scientists who said in a joint statement that: “We believe that additional and more restrictive measures should be taken immediately, as it is already happening in other countries across the world.
“By putting in place social distancing measures now, the growth can be slowed down dramatically, and thousands of lives can be spared.”
The UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance defended the plan and later the Italian government confirmed that Boris Johnson had pursued that strategy.
And yet a popular government phrase, as used by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, was that Downing Street's response to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, was fuelled by a “real desire to be driven by the evidence and by the science.”
The sources of those scientific terms of reference and relevant data and sources have never been revealed and if they had been shared from the outset and adapted as circumstances demanded, it would have provided greater reassurance and clarity that the strategy affecting so many millions of lives was based on sound scientific principles.
By not revealing what actual science the government was following, they appeared to want to avoid scrutiny which actually left them open to more criticism and as if they could just as likely be making policy up as they went along.
Government experts also found themselves sidelined or silenced, ignored or contradicted, as happened when some seemed not to agree with government actions.
Liberal Democrat acting leader, Sir Ed Davey, accused the government of “turning away from expert advice” after a muddled response to queries about the absence of medical experts and it certainly undermined trust in the politicians.
5. Use spokespeople who are well briefed and know what they are talking about
While using a variety of Ministers might have kept things interesting during the daily briefings, it was important that those chosen to speak were good at facing the nation and media in times of such a crisis.
The government was often accused of using pale, male and stale spokespeople, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Priti Patel notable exceptions.
Confident delivery, clear sentences and understandable messaging are vital for any spokesperson.
Step forward Ms Patel, whose occasional appearances always underlined her lack of suitability as a spokesperson.
When it came to numbers, she had an extraordinary ability to make them up.
“I am proud to stand here as your Home Secretary and announce: a thirty-nine eleven seventeen percent reduction in crimes in gyms.
“Violence in pubs, bars and clubs reduced by twelve hundred forty-three and a bit.”
While the made-up numbers prompted ridicule, so too did the rhetoric, celebrating lower crime figures that were inevitably the consequence of a lockdown that prevented people from going beyond their own front doors and shoplifting down when shops were actually shut.
When asked about how many COVID-19 tests had been carried out, she claimed that there had been “three hundred thousand, and thirty-four, nine hundred and seventy-four thousand" tests for the virus.
When your audiences are looking for clarity, it’s always good to have a grasp of any figures rather than add to the confusion.
Patel also rarely shows empathy or an understanding of the challenges others may face, dismissing them as opinions rather than genuine concerns.
Her delivery can be so rambling or as one commentator put it: “To listen to Priti Patel is like being stuck on a slow-moving conveyor belt past meaningless, disconnected words.”
6. Work with the media, not against them
The media have taken their fair share of criticism for scare-mongering about the pandemic, despite most of the news programmes simply reporting what they have been told – and being criticised for going too soft on politicians who otherwise cut them off.
The government have made two fundamental mis-steps in their dealings with the media.
At the daily briefings, where journalists were only permitted to dial in via video-link, responses were often vague or unintelligible.
Most journalists were then often cut off before they could ask follow-up questions to get clarity or a more satisfactory response to their queries.
Dialogue rather than a dictatorial approach provokes empathy and understanding when things go wrong, especially in a situation as unpredictable as the pandemic.
If communication is not a two-way process, it is more likely to lead to hostile or critical challenges at briefings or press conferences.
The fact that some journalists were said to be targeted by the government on social media adds to the ‘us and them’ narrative rather than collaborative relationship that leads to greater understanding and empathy.
7. Make sure you follow your own advice
When a crisis occurs, whether it be short-lived or ongoing, the authority and confidence imbued by those in the eye of the storm is vital.
Remember, it’s how you deal with a crisis rather than the crisis itself that usually causes the longer-term reputational problems.
So when it was discovered that Boris Johnson’s senior adviser Dominic Cummings had broken lockdown rules to drive halfway up the country, it undermined everything the government had demanded of its people.
Johnson and his cabinet should have come out criticising Cummings and either sacked him or at least allow him the opportunity to resign.
Instead, Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended Cummings as acting “within the guidelines” and Boris Johnson added that “In every respect, he has acted responsibly, legally and with integrity,” when this was patently not the case.
The media camped outside Cummings’ house to find out why he appeared to have breached lockdown and more than a million people signed a petition for him to quit.
People started to breach the lockdown rules, presumably thinking that one rule for the government and another for the general public simply would not wash.
Cummings took the unprecedented step of making a statement in the gardens of Number 10 Downing Street where he gave a long and detailed but somewhat confusing statement before admitting that he regretted nothing of his actions.
He undermined his position even more by claiming that he was testing his eyesight in one excursion while in the North East, prompting memes and ridicule far and wide.
Deputy chief medical officer Prof Jonathan Van Tam criticised Cummings and said that the lockdown rules “are clear and they have always been clear” and that they “apply to all.”
He did not appear at a government press conference after that.
8. Do not criticise other groups or organisations
It is vital to strike a conciliatory tone in all your communications because while a crisis may not be your fault, everyone will be lining up to take a pot shot at you for any mistakes you make.
There will be plenty of experts, some perhaps with an axe to grind, to take your place if you do not speak and plenty to stick the knife in if you criticise them unjustifiably.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock made one such error when he criticised professional footballers for not taking a pay cut and doing more to support their communities.
He said: “Given the sacrifices that many people are making, including some of my colleagues in the NHS who have made the ultimate sacrifice... I think the first thing that Premier League footballers can do is make a contribution, take a pay cut and play their part.”
Footballers, particularly at the highest level, earn huge salaries, of course, but so do musicians, actors and entrepreneurs to name just a few, so why single out footballers?
Former players and pundits were quick to defend footballers and highlight why Mr Hancock’s comments were ill-judged.
Apart from anything else, the pronouncement was premature, given that clubs and the players’ union were in the early stages of devising a plan to support local communities.
Among the many Premier League team initiatives, several footballers did take pay cuts, supported local projects (more of that anon) and even helped with accommodations for key workers.
At a time when the government needed everyone on their side, Mr Hancock’s words alienated many.
Hancock would have more egg on his face when Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United striker, forced the government into an embarrassing climbdown.
Only the most unreasonable would expect you to get everything right all of the time but good preparation, strategy and flexibility can help to address issues as they arise.
Rashford (22), urged the government to support families with children who usually received free school meals to get additional support during lockdown, but his pleas met deaf ears.
Rashford had grown up using the vouchers himself with his single mum struggling to otherwise feed her family.
The England forward wanted to support the 1.3m children affected by a lack of free school meals and so started a campaign and tweeted an open letter imploring MPs to #maketheUturn on the decision.
Rather than dismissing the campaign, it would have been prudent to praise the work Rashford was doing and remain open to evolving policy.
However, Boris Johnson initially refused to change the policy of not providing the vouchers with a Department for Education spokesman stating: ”Free schools meals are ordinarily term time only, and the national voucher scheme will not run during the summer holidays.”
Within a day, the government had made a U-turn and introduced a ‘COVID summer school fund’, paying around £15 per week per recipient at a cost of around £120m.
Needless to say, Heath Secretary Matt Hancock then denied that the new fund was linked to Rashford’s campaign and said that the plans were already being lined up, despite the previous government denials.
To make matters worse, he even got Rashford’s name wrong, calling him ‘Daniel’.
Rashford was already a hero, having worked with Fareshare, the food redistribution charity, to provide millions of meals to the vulnerable during lockdown.
No wonder he became an icon and an example of what could be done with positive messaging, empathy and commitment.
9. Do not release fundamental news late at night on social media
A clear and effective communications plan takes into account news deadlines and when the biggest audiences are going to hear updates that affect them.
While social media is an important element in the communications mix, it cannot be the first place to announce news that affects hundreds of thousands of people.
While some decisions need to be taken quickly, making an announcement that could affect millions late at night – and on the eve of a major religious festival – is far from ideal.
So when Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced in late July that “immediate action” was needed to limit people meeting across Greater Manchester and parts of east Lancashire and West Yorkshire – and made the announcement on Twitter – it provoked outcry and criticism.
The measures were introduced hastily at the start of the annual Eid al-Adha ‘feast of sacrifice,’ with people in the areas affected told not to socialise with other households at home or in gardens.
Official news sources such as the Department of Health gave contradictory reports, prompting some journalists to describe the announcement as “chaotic” and a “disaster of comms”.
Not even the Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham seemed to know the detail, and he commented: “I understand the need to make announcements, I understand the need for decisive action, but when ministers go in front of the cameras, make sure you’ve got the detail ready to go exactly at the same time.”
10. If you make promises, ensure you can keep them
Testing has been an ongoing theme of the UK lockdown.
So when Health Secretary Matt Hancock committed in early April that the number of daily UK COVID-19 tests would pass 100,000 by the end of the month, he had to be sure that he could make good on his claims.
Within weeks, with no likelihood of the target being reached, government spokesmen said it would be "difficult" to know if the 100,000-tests-a-day target had been hit by the deadline.
Some Ministers claimed that tests simply being sent out should be included in the targets rather than tests undertaken.
And while it appeared that there was no chance of hitting the target, Hancock claimed that more than 122,000 tests had been completed on the last day of April.
A closer look at the figures showed that the numbers of testing kits sent out accounted for 20,000 of those included in the results.
To make matters worse, thousands of tests may have wrongly informed people that they were free of the virus after research suggested that the nasal swabs were not entirely accurate.
Over-promising and under-delivering is a recipe for reputational damage.
If Hancock had not made the ambitious 100,000 tests claim, but simply updated on numbers and positioned the increases as progress, fewer would have doubted the boast that targets had been reached.
It would also have given the government the chance to ensure the tests were fit for purpose rather than focusing on the quantity distributed.
Boris Johnson made it worse when he announced that a track and trace mobile phone app and tracing system would be “world beating”.
As delays occurred, Hancock blamed Apple for not helping to adapt the app for their platform and eventually the entire scheme was scrapped and replaced by a working app made by Apple and Google.
To say that the government’s strategy and communications response has put their competence into question is an understatement.
Their chaotic approach underlines why good communications planning, joined-up thinking and humility have such a huge impact on trust and confidence in organisations and their executives.