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24
Mar 2020
Harrogate council leader and MP criticised for being "invisible" during crisis
In a letter to the Stray Ferret, Paul Baverstock, a former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party, who lives in Harrogate accuses the council's conservative Leader, Richard Cooper, and local MP, Andrew Jones, of a lack of leadership and poor visibility during the coronavirus crisis.
Mr Baverstock, who now works at a senior level in the health sector, says he contacted Mr Jones to put himself forward to help after the MP announced he wanted to create "an army of volunteers" but says he received a generic email response. Mr Baverstock argues that the MP is well meaning but out of step with the urgency of the situation and how local people feel.
He offers Mr Jones some communications advice:
He urges both Cllr Cooper and Mr Jones to start bring together local experts to provide clear and free advice, use technology and social media to connect people and get their messages out. He ends with:
The Stray Ferret asked both Cllr Cooper and Andrew Jones MP to respond to Mr Baverstock's letter. Neither has yet done so.
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