Kevin Craig

This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch.

Kevin Craig is the managing director of political lobbying firm PLMR.

Career

According to his biography on PLMR's website:

Kevin Craig is a public affairs, public relations and crisis management professional who started his communications career in 1993. Kevin is a former Parliamentary Candidate (2005), a Member of Labour’s 2001 General Election Team, a local councillor of 9 years standing in the London Borough of Lambeth, and has previously worked for Saatchi and Saatchi’s PR Arm, and Global law firm DLA Piper where he was a founding member of its Lobbying and PR practice.

Kevin’s PR and crisis management experience includes the aftermath of the Paddington Rail crash (Railtrack Plc Press Office), the Alder Hey child organ retention scandal (University of Liverpool) and other recent high profile political stories.

Kevin’s experience includes many years operating at the highest levels of UK and EU Government and Civil Service. In 2005, a campaign for which Kevin devised the strategy and action plan culminated in new legislation as part of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act and was described by a senior UK Civil Servant as “one of the most effective campaigns I have ever seen.”

In addition to his private sector work, Kevin has advised a host of not for profit and charitable organisation.

Activities

In May 2011 it was reported that Kevin Craig was the Vice Chair of Governors of Durand Academy, a fee-paying client of his firm PLMR and one of the UK government's flagship academy schools. The school - funded largely from the public purse - has admitted paying over £199,000 to PLMR between April 2009 and December 2010.

Durand Academy is currently funding a libel action brought by current and former employees over three emails sent by the Chief Auditor of Lambeth Council. According to Index on Censorship, the school has ignored a freedom of information request for details of how much it is spending on the court action — but it is believed the costs may already have run into six figures. It concluded:

The case of Durand Academy raises serious questions both about the chilling effect of UK libel law, and the creeping encroachment of the “reputation management” industry into public life.

Views

In a March 2011 Reuters article on crisis management Kevin Craig was quoted as saying:

“Openness is the only way,” he said. “Anything else—be it a denial or repetition of myths—will only make the problem worse in the long-term.”

Affiliations

• Durand Academy - Vice Chair of the school's Board of Governors.