Government communications in 2023 and beyond

This paper reflects the themes of a private roundtable held at the Institute for Government in November 2022 and a small number of associated interviews. It looks at how government communications can be most effective, including by considering the role of the Government Communication Service (GCS), the professional body for government communicators which comprises more than 7,000 members of the communications function spread across ministerial departments, non-ministerial departments and public bodies.

Reflecting on the success, or otherwise, of recent government communications campaigns around the response to the pandemic and the UK’s exit from the EU, the paper explores how government can inform citizens about its activities in a way that is consistent with civil service values. As the paper warns, examples of factual inaccuracy or overly political framing in the way government communicates have raised questions about whether the right ethical safeguards are in place. A more trustworthy approach to communications would benefit public discourse and make it easier for the government to carefully rebut genuine mis- and disinformation.

The paper concludes that the government should take a more coherent approach to communicating, with a strong, smart, central Government Communication Service (GCS) function co-ordinating cross-government communication and taking responsibility for the content of GOV.UK.  

The paper’s recommendations include:

• Government communicators providing more input into parliamentary statements, which are communication opportunities, and participating more from the outset of policy formulation processes.
• The creation of clearer career paths into the senior civil service for government communicators.
• Government communicators being more aware of their ethical responsibilities as set out in the GCS propriety guidance – and the GCS guidance being enforced more rigorously.
• The government giving serious thought to how much time and resource is invested in engaging with 'Lobby' journalists – and whether greater emphasis should be placed on different forms of media. 
• Reforming pay and the way the GCS presents itself as an employer to bring in the right recruits.