The Public Affairs in Practice Podcast
Public Affairs in Practice is a practical podcast about how public affairs, lobbying and political engagement actually work. Hosted by Dr Stuart Thomson — public affairs practitioner, author and trainer — the podcast explores how organisations influence policy, engage decision-makers and build effective public affairs strategies. Episodes draw on real-world experience across government relations, campaigning, reputation management and political communication. Through interviews with leading practitioners, policymakers and recruiters, alongside solo episodes and case studies, Public Affairs in Practice focuses on the skills, judgement and strategic thinking needed to succeed in modern public affairs. The podcast is designed for people working in, or aspiring to work in, public affairs, government relations, policy, communications and related fields — offering practical insight rather than theory alone. New episodes explore career development, campaign strategy, insider and outsider lobbying, ethics, and how policy change really happens. As featured in The Times. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or other plaforms then please follow the show to get new episodes as they’re released. Learn more about Stuart and his public affairs consultancy, CWE Communications.
Episodes
In an interview episode, I talk to Genevieve Young, President and Chief Operating Officer of Global Public Affairs in Canada.
We talked about Genevieve's route into public affairs and her wide ranging experience providing strategic counsel to the C-suite of some of Canada’s most iconic companies and organisations.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communications
Thanks to my editor Callums World.
How recruiters assess talent in UK public affairs – insights from leading recruiters
In this special episode of Public Affairs in Practice, I speak to five leading recruiters in UK public affairs about what employers really look for when hiring.
When delivering public affairs training, I’m often asked how to build a career in public affairs, how to stand out to employers, and what skills matter most at different stages. To answer t...
In an interview episode, I talk to Marg Joiner, an independent government relations consultant from New Zealand.
We talked about Marg's route into public affairs and her wide ranging experience including her experience in mediation and conflict resolution.
More details about the book that Marg contributed to, and her chapter on public affairs in New Zealand, can be found here.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communications
...In an interview episode, I talk to Daniel Rice, Director at 5654, and Sam Cooper, Managing Director at MessageSpace.
As well as learning more about Daniel and Sam and their paths into public affairs and political communication, we focused on the findings of their recent joint report, "Influence and Information: Media Habits of Westminster."
You can access the report by clicking here.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communi...
In an interview episode, I talk to Richard Gard, Director and Head of External and Government Affairs Africa, Middle East, Europe, India, Oceania at Nissan Motor Corporation.
We talk about his background and how he got into public affairs, how he leads a small team covering such a huge region, his use of agency support, how the work of agencies has evolved over the past 10-15 years and how he manages to keep track of so many market...
In an interview episode, I talk to Robert Magyar, Head of Healthcare, APAC at Weber Shandwick.
We talk about his background and how he got into public affairs, his experience of public affairs and lobbying across Asia and, in particular, China, and how his experience of running a consultancy.
More details about the book that Robert contributed to, and his chapter on public affairs in China, can be found here.
In an interview episode, I talk to Matt Day, Head of Government Relations, UK & Ireland.
We talk about his background and how he got into public affairs, his experience of working for in consultancy and in-house roles, and how he sees the profession developing in the future.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communications
Thanks to my editor Callums World.
In an interview episode, I talk to John Johnston, author of the weekly London Influence email for Politico which covers campaigning, lobbying and political influence in the U.K.
We talk about his background and how he got into journalism, how he has found navigating the industry, and trends for 2025.
There is also mention of the current consultation on the PRCA's Public Affairs Code. You can read details here.
In an interview episode, I talk to Doug Pinkham, President of the Public Affairs Council.
We talk about the importance of public affairs, its role in reputation management, how the industry has changed and what we can expect from the future. We also couldn't avoid talking about the forthcoming US Presidential election!
This episode was recorded before the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and the withdrawal of President Biden...
In an interview episode, I talk to Zoe Cohen, a highly experienced board-level director and Master Coach.
We talk about the importance of taking action to save the planet, climate communications, her activism and work with Extinction Rebellion, Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil.
This episode was recorded before the recent UK General Election and *WARNING* it does contain some swearing.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Comm...
In an interview episode, I talk to John Harrington, Editor, PR Week UK.
We talk about his work at PR Week, stories that he is particularly proud of, the main challenges facing the public affairs, and how it may evolve in the coming years.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communications
Thanks to my editor Callums World.
All organisations need to manage risk. Some do it better than others. Some make basic mistakes; others try to drive out all aspects of risk. But the reality is that some risk needs to be maintained, not least in communications, otherwise innovation can die.
Thanks to my editor Callums World.
Originally written for LabourList, and with Scott Goodstein, this episode outlines five crucial challenges for which every candidate should be prepared in creating their own winning election scenario.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communications
Thanks to my editor Callums World.
In a different type of episode, we hear from five of the leading monitoring companies.
Delivering public affairs training, I am often asked about who can monitoring services. So, I asked leading monitoring companies to tell us more about what they do.
A huge thank you to all those who took part.
To learn more about the companies took part (in alphabetical order):
PolicyMogul - with a special offer of 10% off your f...
In an interview episode, I talk to Craig Jones MBE, Executive Director of Fighting With Pride that supports the health and wellbeing of LGBT+Veterans, service personnel and their families.
We talk about his background in the Royal Navy; the lifting of the ‘gay ban’ in the armed forces and the challenges he, and many others, faced; his varied career when he left the Royal Navy; how Fighting With Pride started, its achievements in i...
In an interview episode, I talk to Paul Gerrard, Campaigns, Public Affairs & Board Secretariat Director at the Co-op Group.
We talk about his background in the civil service, the skills he learned and how he has applied them to public affairs and the fantastic campaign he has led tackling violence against shop workers. It is a case study that everyone should learn from.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communications
In an interview episode, I talk to Kirsty McHugh, CEO of Carers Trust.
We talk about her impressive career, how it all started, and the benefits of serving of a local councillor.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communications
Thanks to my editor Callums World.
In an interview episode, I talk to Vallath Kavitha Krishnan, a Team Leader in the Scottish Government's Justice Transformation Policy Team.
We talk about her background in public affairs and its benefits in her latest policy-focused role.
All views expressed in the podcast are Vallath's own.
Learn more about me and my services @CWE Communications
Thanks to my editor Callums World.
In an interview episode, I talk to Philip Salter, Founder of The Entrepreneurs Network, a think tank for Britain’s most ambitious entrepreneurs.
We talk about how he established TEN, its role and the challenges of running a think tank.
I am one of TEN's advisers.
Engaging with political audiences can often feel like an uphill challenge for those seeking to make an impact. Even when an event seems directly relevant, politicians may not always want to take part. Why can it seem like they have left the room?
Thanks to my editor Callums World.
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