A GREEN candidate enlisted the help of a PR company which claims it helped refine her political messages, build her brand and secure media coverage.
Brighton and Hove Mayor Alexandra Phillips, who is also an MEP and Parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown, approached branding and PR company Tuesday Media in July.
Rival Labour candidate Lloyd Russell-Moyle said he “would be interested to see who is funding this PR work”.
Conservative candidate Joe Miller said he saw nothing wrong with the training, providing it was not paid out the public purse.
A spokesman for Alexandra Phillips said she employed the company in her capacity as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
The spokesman said: "Like most MEPs, Alex employs staff to assist her with her work; as Tuesday Media were employed to provide media training and draft publications pertaining to Alex’s work as a Member of the European Parliament, they were paid through her parliamentary budget."
The advert said the training consisted of a "storybuilding process" where the company "worked with her to refine her key political messages and her stance on various policy points".
According to the advert, she then attended a media training workshop, which tested "her delivery of key messages in simulated interviews" – focusing on her tone of voice, body language and delivery under pressure.
It goes on to reference a media campaign where it "secured five pieces of coverage".
The spokesman added: “She took them on at the beginning of her mandate as an MEP, as it took a little while to get a Press Officer in place.
“They’re a Brighton-based start-up, run by women, and Alex was keen to support their work.“
"They offered a range of services, helping to draft articles, and offering some training for media appearances in her capacity as an MEP.”
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