2Collaborate

2Collaborate is a market research and communications and PR agency based in Edinburgh. It was formerly known as Holyrood Consultations.

Privatisation propaganda

Among its clients are the Scottish Executive for whom it is engaged in campaigning work to promote the privatisation of public services through a campaign on 'shared services', which means that the private sector is to be brought in to deliver public services. The campaign is sponsored and supported by Microsoft, Capgemini and LogicaCMG, three companies lobbying fiercely to get access to public services. All four organisations are listed as clients of 2Collaborate. A further sponsor is The Herald newspaper which included a promotional tabloid in its edition of 28 November 2006. This is nothing less than a pro-privatisation propaganda, featuring full page ads from the sponsors, together with pro-market homilies from Tom McCabe the minister for Finance and public service reform and Sir John Elvidge the Permanent Secretary at the Scottish Executive. Gone are the days when civil servants were supposed to be neutral implementers o policy. Now Elvidge and the Executive proseletyse for increased private secotr involvement in government and the public secotr as a whole.

The tabloid itself features articles by a number of 'journalists' whose bylines give no indication of their status or background. A total of four articles are attributed to Maggie Stanfield and three to Andrew Collier. These are not Herald journalists but freelances with not inconsiderable experience of government propaganda work.

Clients

Private Sector

• Microsoft
• Capgemini
• LogicaCMG
• nPower Renewables
• RED Group
• Baillie Wind Farm Ltd
• Elphinstone Group
• Spittal Wind Farm Ltd
• PM Renewables

Public Sector

Glasgow Housing Association

• The Scottish Executive

Yorkshire and Humber Regional Assembly

Not-for-profit

• Federation of Small Business (Scotland)
• Crossreach

Notes

^ 2Communicate website Clients accessed January 2007