Ben Lowndes
@blowndes.bsky.social
Husband. Dad to two teens (girl and boy). Agency founder. Chartered PR. Lives in Somerset. Proudly Pembs.
Pinned
Ben Lowndes
@blowndes.bsky.social
· Nov 18
a cartoon character from south park says " here 's to the future everyone "
ALT: a cartoon character from south park says " here 's to the future everyone "
media.tenor.com
Thanks to those who've started following me on here, some for the first time (what's going on?!). I'm based in the South West, work in Bristol and write about comms, reputation, places and work. Debate and strident disagreement is OK with me. Bullshit and insults, less so. Let's see where we get to.
Reposted by Ben Lowndes
I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork
December 12, 2025 at 4:00 AM
I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork
Bits of this bill are clunky. The idea that businesses like mine - who are recognised as good employers - must send staff messages about union membership penned by government official is daft.
But warnings of mass strikes are also hysterical. More of us have mortgages. Let's calm down
But warnings of mass strikes are also hysterical. More of us have mortgages. Let's calm down
December 8, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Bits of this bill are clunky. The idea that businesses like mine - who are recognised as good employers - must send staff messages about union membership penned by government official is daft.
But warnings of mass strikes are also hysterical. More of us have mortgages. Let's calm down
But warnings of mass strikes are also hysterical. More of us have mortgages. Let's calm down
This isn't showing any sign of going away for him.
Decency still matters, it seems.
Decency still matters, it seems.
Nigel Farage reads out letter from Dulwich contemporary at presser who said that while Reform leader's comments were "yes, sometimes offensive" they were never uttered "with malice".
Notably,he doesn't repeat Richard Tice's claim that multiple allegations are "made up twaddle".
Notably,he doesn't repeat Richard Tice's claim that multiple allegations are "made up twaddle".
December 5, 2025 at 9:21 AM
This isn't showing any sign of going away for him.
Decency still matters, it seems.
Decency still matters, it seems.
"An experiment now beckons: will Your Party become the acorn of a newly liberated society, or a battleground dominated by revolutionary sects thanks to their organisational capacity, stamina and obsessive behaviour?"
Let me think...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Let me think...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Your Party's antics assume a luxury the left does not have: time | Owen Jones
Legal spats, public denunciations and an obsession with internal process must be consigned to the past, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:13 PM
"An experiment now beckons: will Your Party become the acorn of a newly liberated society, or a battleground dominated by revolutionary sects thanks to their organisational capacity, stamina and obsessive behaviour?"
Let me think...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Let me think...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
A decent intervention would be an announcement that genuinely makes a difference.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
November 29, 2025 at 11:14 PM
A decent intervention would be an announcement that genuinely makes a difference.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Warship-led growth wasn't something I expected to hear a Labour chancellor champion until recently.
November 26, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Warship-led growth wasn't something I expected to hear a Labour chancellor champion until recently.
Plenty said recently about 'rolling the pitch'. Great blog from a colleague on what it actually means and how it works.
My view: it helps if you start early, be clear about what you stand for and have the guts to fight for it.
www.distinctivecomms.co.uk/the-art-of-t...
My view: it helps if you start early, be clear about what you stand for and have the guts to fight for it.
www.distinctivecomms.co.uk/the-art-of-t...
The art of the PR pitch-roll | Distinctive Communications
Benefits, risks and real-world examples of pitch-rolling in political and regeneration comms — and why transparent, early engagement builds trust.
www.distinctivecomms.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Plenty said recently about 'rolling the pitch'. Great blog from a colleague on what it actually means and how it works.
My view: it helps if you start early, be clear about what you stand for and have the guts to fight for it.
www.distinctivecomms.co.uk/the-art-of-t...
My view: it helps if you start early, be clear about what you stand for and have the guts to fight for it.
www.distinctivecomms.co.uk/the-art-of-t...
Poll of Times readers right now. I'm not looking forward to minister after minister struggling to explain the various stealth tax rises will mean they've kept their manifesto pledge. If you're going to break the pledge, do it properly!
November 25, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Poll of Times readers right now. I'm not looking forward to minister after minister struggling to explain the various stealth tax rises will mean they've kept their manifesto pledge. If you're going to break the pledge, do it properly!
Reposted by Ben Lowndes
Issue for Labour now isn't whether they break their manifesto pledge on tax. It is whether they do so in a way which is blatant, honest but sustainable - or whether they do so by a myriad of complex and likely insufficient means whilst arguing they are not.
Imho, one seems more toxic than the other
Imho, one seems more toxic than the other
November 14, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Issue for Labour now isn't whether they break their manifesto pledge on tax. It is whether they do so in a way which is blatant, honest but sustainable - or whether they do so by a myriad of complex and likely insufficient means whilst arguing they are not.
Imho, one seems more toxic than the other
Imho, one seems more toxic than the other
Reposted by Ben Lowndes
I disagree. It’s central to the country’s bad vibes that we cut state support for the working poor and have compensated for that, poorly, by shunting some of the costs onto businesses and the rest onto to telling the people who have lost out “life’s tough, adapt”.
Weird thing: the UK minimum wage has risen against inflation for years. It's now really high. Millions of people are earning more than they were as a direct result of this policy. And the impact on the vibes of the country is… entirely absent?
November 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I disagree. It’s central to the country’s bad vibes that we cut state support for the working poor and have compensated for that, poorly, by shunting some of the costs onto businesses and the rest onto to telling the people who have lost out “life’s tough, adapt”.
Useful points here covered more detail in @naomialderman.bsky.social’s book on what she calls the information crisis we’re living through.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Don’t argue with strangers… and 11 more rules to survive the information crisis
Feeling overwhelmed by divisive opinions, endless rows and unreliable facts? Here’s how to weather the data storm
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Useful points here covered more detail in @naomialderman.bsky.social’s book on what she calls the information crisis we’re living through.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Will she, won’t she? 🪁
November 16, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Will she, won’t she? 🪁
MP furious about leaks authorises leak to the Sunday Times about his fury at leaks.
Give me strength.
Give me strength.
November 15, 2025 at 10:30 PM
MP furious about leaks authorises leak to the Sunday Times about his fury at leaks.
Give me strength.
Give me strength.
Superb, data-led journalism by @news.sky.com into how X appears to disproportionately serve up right-wing views in users' feeds.
These views happen to reflect those expressed by its owner.
You can have free-speech, as long as it's hateful, it seems.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
These views happen to reflect those expressed by its owner.
You can have free-speech, as long as it's hateful, it seems.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
How the world's richest man is boosting the British right
How the world's richest man is boosting the British right
news.sky.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Superb, data-led journalism by @news.sky.com into how X appears to disproportionately serve up right-wing views in users' feeds.
These views happen to reflect those expressed by its owner.
You can have free-speech, as long as it's hateful, it seems.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
These views happen to reflect those expressed by its owner.
You can have free-speech, as long as it's hateful, it seems.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
This in the Times today is an incredible leap, just take it in.
The suggestion that government is organised enough to do the things the media thinks is it’s capable is ludicrous to anyone who’s worked there.
To link this to a potential nuclear fall out is mind-bending. WTF?
The suggestion that government is organised enough to do the things the media thinks is it’s capable is ludicrous to anyone who’s worked there.
To link this to a potential nuclear fall out is mind-bending. WTF?
November 13, 2025 at 9:31 PM
This in the Times today is an incredible leap, just take it in.
The suggestion that government is organised enough to do the things the media thinks is it’s capable is ludicrous to anyone who’s worked there.
To link this to a potential nuclear fall out is mind-bending. WTF?
The suggestion that government is organised enough to do the things the media thinks is it’s capable is ludicrous to anyone who’s worked there.
To link this to a potential nuclear fall out is mind-bending. WTF?
Reposted by Ben Lowndes
I’m with Vince.
And 2p on income tax plus 2p off NICS to raise £6bn feels like being hung for half a lamb.
www.ft.com/content/9e56...
And 2p on income tax plus 2p off NICS to raise £6bn feels like being hung for half a lamb.
www.ft.com/content/9e56...
November 8, 2025 at 12:01 PM
I’m with Vince.
And 2p on income tax plus 2p off NICS to raise £6bn feels like being hung for half a lamb.
www.ft.com/content/9e56...
And 2p on income tax plus 2p off NICS to raise £6bn feels like being hung for half a lamb.
www.ft.com/content/9e56...
Wise words @arianne-smart.bsky.social. As we grapple with the productivity puzzle, we should also guard time to think. That's how growth happens.
Also in the Dispatch:
Hopes for the budget
How to work with a PR agency
Things we've seen, heard, read
distinctivedispatch.substack.com/p/distinctiv...
Also in the Dispatch:
Hopes for the budget
How to work with a PR agency
Things we've seen, heard, read
distinctivedispatch.substack.com/p/distinctiv...
November 8, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Wise words @arianne-smart.bsky.social. As we grapple with the productivity puzzle, we should also guard time to think. That's how growth happens.
Also in the Dispatch:
Hopes for the budget
How to work with a PR agency
Things we've seen, heard, read
distinctivedispatch.substack.com/p/distinctiv...
Also in the Dispatch:
Hopes for the budget
How to work with a PR agency
Things we've seen, heard, read
distinctivedispatch.substack.com/p/distinctiv...
Reposted by Ben Lowndes
“Nobody thought a Labour government would have to raise taxes by more than £70bn,” claims one insider in this excellent piece. Shows the problem of the climate of fear in meetings created by some of Starmer’s aides, in that plenty of Labour insiders, did, in fact, think this!
The politics of breaking manifesto promises
The history of politicians who go back on their words has lessons for Rachel Reeves as she mulls raising taxes
www.ft.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:32 AM
“Nobody thought a Labour government would have to raise taxes by more than £70bn,” claims one insider in this excellent piece. Shows the problem of the climate of fear in meetings created by some of Starmer’s aides, in that plenty of Labour insiders, did, in fact, think this!
All that noise about tax and spend. It’s easier to snipe than it is to work with the hand you’re dealt.
Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts
www.thetimes.com/article/0296...
Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts
www.thetimes.com/article/0296...
November 4, 2025 at 8:24 AM
All that noise about tax and spend. It’s easier to snipe than it is to work with the hand you’re dealt.
Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts
www.thetimes.com/article/0296...
Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts
www.thetimes.com/article/0296...
Reposted by Ben Lowndes
"it is striking how many of the key players we have looked into — the people who have gone out of their way to put up hundreds of flags — seem anything but ordinary."
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
The men who raised the flags
Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found
manchestermill.co.uk
November 2, 2025 at 8:18 AM
"it is striking how many of the key players we have looked into — the people who have gone out of their way to put up hundreds of flags — seem anything but ordinary."
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
One can hope. But hope isn’t a strategy for leading the country. We need something more positive and better than this.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘The novelty will wear off’: Labour hopes publicity will be Farage’s downfall
Government still struggling to win the agenda from Reform, leaving planners trusting voters will sour on what they see
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:00 PM
One can hope. But hope isn’t a strategy for leading the country. We need something more positive and better than this.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
That’s what makes it so tragic. They’ve misread the public mood and blown the moment. Such a shame
There was a time Starmer/Reeves could made the argument to raise income taxes and VAT. There was even a moment they could have made the argument to break their manifesto pledge. It’s far too late. Now it would spell disaster for them and for politics. My latest👇
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
Starmer and Reeves would destroy themselves with a manifesto break
There was a moment they could have broken their word. It's long gone.
open.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 9:35 PM
That’s what makes it so tragic. They’ve misread the public mood and blown the moment. Such a shame
What do creative businesses like ours want to see from the budget? My thoughts: we badly need a vision for the economy and future of the country. 'Change' must mean more than the odd tweak here and there.
bristolcreativeindustries.com/autumn-budge...
bristolcreativeindustries.com/autumn-budge...
Autumn Budget 2025: What Bristol Creative Industries members would like to see for creative businesses
The government’s 2025 Autumn Budget takes place on 26 November. Bristol Creative Industries members share what they would like to see in chancellor Rachel Reeves’ speech for creative businesses. “It’s...
bristolcreativeindustries.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:26 PM
What do creative businesses like ours want to see from the budget? My thoughts: we badly need a vision for the economy and future of the country. 'Change' must mean more than the odd tweak here and there.
bristolcreativeindustries.com/autumn-budge...
bristolcreativeindustries.com/autumn-budge...
Reposted by Ben Lowndes
who creates the lively art and music scenes if the rent is too high? who makes cultural life? who serves you food or washes your dishes? who creates the fancy little restaurants that draw you to urban living? affordable housing is at the heart of what makes city life worthwhile.
October 26, 2025 at 6:04 AM
who creates the lively art and music scenes if the rent is too high? who makes cultural life? who serves you food or washes your dishes? who creates the fancy little restaurants that draw you to urban living? affordable housing is at the heart of what makes city life worthwhile.