Public Affairs & PR

Alastair Stewart

Alastair is a public affairs consultant and freelance writer. He regularly writes about politics, history and culture with a particular interest in Winston Churchill’s links to Scotland.

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Public Affairs, PR & Digital

Orbit Communications

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Providing public affairs, public relations, design and digital support to clients. Sample work below.

Recognition

Digital community consultation | Scottish Government best practice

Press coverage

Orbit digital engagement deemed best practice by Scottish Government (Scottish Housing News)

Edinburgh company’s digital engagement deemed best practice by Scottish Government (Deadline News)

Best practice digital nod for Orbit Communications (Scotland on Sunday)

Alastair Stewart: Adapting to COVID-19 with Orbit Communications (Scottish Housing News)

Switch to digital is boosting community engagement (Consultation Institute)

Switch to digital is boosting community engagement (Edinburgh Evening News)

Insight

Covid-19 could be a digital starting gun (Orbit)

We must be mindful of the isolation time bomb (Orbit)

Alastair Stewart: Adapting to COVID-19 with Orbit Communications (LinkedIn)

How to raise community support for planning proposals (Orbit)

2020 – Looking ahead to another curveball year? (Orbit)

Webinar Series

Engagement and project approval

Green light for Canongate office development

£140 million Grade A office block to go ahead on Argyle Street

Pinkhill flats plans set to be approved despite residents’ privacy fears

Green light for Edinburgh Old Town office development at UNESCO World Heritage Site

Build to rent Skyliner towers get green light for Leith

Digital

Gilston Park – http://gilston-park.scot/

Parkhead Hub – https://parkheadhub.scot/

British Land – Dougalston – https://bldougalston.co.uk/

Buckholm Corner – https://buckholmcorner.com/

Queensberry Properties – https://finance-house.co.uk/

PLATFORM_ – https://platform-edinburgh.co.uk/

Consultation

Former Edinburgh Lloyds Banking call centre to be converted into 170 flats

Public event will discuss plans to demolish Leith buildings such as John Lewis depot for housing

Around 145 student flats planned at old petrol station site on Montrose Terrace, Edinburgh

Podcast

Politics Galore! Ep93. 25Sept2020 – digital consultations

Press & Brand

Envipco among VIBES finalists for environment partnership

Events

Gorgie farm welcomes the Dalry llama

Explore ‘Glesca’ and ‘Embra’ on interactive Scots language map

DRS trial concludes with strong results

Campaign

Churchill & Scotland

Features & columns

Print gallery

The Herald

THE BIG READ: Hero or villain? The battle for the truth about Winston Churchill and Scotland

THE TIMES

It’s time for Scotland to reclaim Winston Churchill (PDF)

EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS

Churchill’s Scottish connections run deeper than we may think

Great men and women have earned a place in our history

FINEST HOUR

Why have the Scots forsaken Churchill?

INTERNATIONAL CHURCHILL SOCIETY

Why Have the Scots Forsaken Churchill?

THE SCOTSMAN

Winston Churchill was close friends with a founder and leader of the SNP, Andrew Dewar Gibb, and supported Scottish home rule

VE Day: Why Britain is not overly obsessed with the Second World War

Thatcher, Churchill and the Lib Dems: The danger posed by simplistic judgements

Churchill’s roar drowns out Johnson’s huge ego

Dear John McDonnell, if Winston Churchill is a villain, who is a hero?

Scottish independence would strip Churchill of his ‘Britishness’

What Donald Tusk can learn from Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill: Ross Greer is wrong, but so is Piers Morgan

Churchill once defended ‘Scottish nationalism’ at Ibrox stadium

Johnson should take care what conflicts he conjures up (print only)

BBC RADIO SCOTLAND

HISTORY SCOTLAND

Part 1: Debunking the cult of Churchill

Using primary sources to explore the statesman’s life and work.

Part 2: Churchill as a military leader

A look at Churchill’s reputation as a boorish war leader with a penchant for expeditions over expediency. Is it justified?

Part 3: Churchill the actor

For all his flaws and quirks, Churchill makes for an infinitely more interesting character study than the heavily redacted, and catastrophically cliched, caricature of a stoic leader with a jutted jaw and cigar.

Part 4: Why the real quotes are better than the memes

Alastair calls for a more significant distinction between the real and apocryphal stories about Churchill.

Part 5: A heavy drinker?

Examining Churchill’s reputation as a heavy drinker.

Part 6: The real price of ale

If Churchill wasn’t an alcoholic, but if he fanned tall drinking tales about himself, then what was he at heart?

Part 7: Churchill was a peacemaker, not just a warrior

Exploring Churchill’s post-war role as a peacemaker.

Part 8: The Dream reveal’s Churchill’s soul

What ‘The Dream’ can tell us about Churchill’s relationship with the father he thought never believed in him.

Part 9: Churchill & Europe – the ultimate myth?

The many Churchills, the many Europes.

Part 10: Churchill on our doorstep

Where are the books dedicated to Churchill and Scotland?

E-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Would Churchill have voted for Brexit?

THE SOL TIMES

When Churchill bribed Franco (print)

THINK SCOTLAND

Review | Pip Utton: Churchill

Press coverage

Coverage

Print gallery

International Churchill Society

I pitched an article that became the basis for a dedicated edition of ‘Finest Hour’ focussing on Churchill’s connections with Scotland.

I wrote the leading feature considering why the Scots have forsaken Churchill. I also coordinated the Scottish PR campaign to raise awareness of the edition including the research appeal.

The edition included a foreward by former prime minister Gordon Brown.

Dedicated landing page: http://winstonchurchill.org/finest-hour-scotland/

Journal: Why have the Scots forsaken Churchill?

Press release: First scholarly research appeal launched into Churchill and Scotland

Press release: Churchill’s Scottish links explored on St. Andrew’s Day

Blog: Return to Plugstreet – The International Churchill Society

BBC RADIO SCOTLAND

News

The Times: Campaign to honour Churchill’s connections north of the border (PDF)

The Times: It’s time for Scotland to reclaim Winston Churchill (PDF)

The Scotsman: Winston Churchill should be a ‘celebrated hero in Scotland

The Scotsman: Churchill’s ties to Scotland falling ‘out of public knowledge’, warns great grandson

Edinburgh Evening News: Churchill’s Scottish connections run deeper than we may think

The Daily Record: History’s greatest Englishman Winston Churchill was really ‘a Scot’

The Herald: Efforts are underway to recognise Churchill’s Scottish connections

Deadline News: Academics appeal for information in bid to make Churchill a “celebrated hero” in Scotland

The Courier: Quest launched to unlock treasure trove of Churchill’s Scottish connections

Third Force News: Churchill’s Scottish links explored

Scottish Field: Bid to uncover Churchill’s untold Scots connections

North Edinburgh News: Churchill and Scotland: First scholarly research appeal launched

North Edinburgh News: Churchill’s close friendship with an SNP founder remembered

Macedonia

Macedonia naming dispute

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Working with the United Macedonian Diaspora to raise awareness about the implications of the Prespa Agreement and Macedonian accession to NATO and the EU.

North Macedonia? Don’t you ‘North Briton’ me! (The Scotsman)

Macedonian village healer changed my life in a way I didn’t expect (The Scotsman)

UMD appoints new communications director (UMD)

Колумна на новинарот Алистер Стујарт: Северна Македонија? Не ме прави Севернобританец (Don’t you North Briton me!) (Kurir)

Шкотски новинар за Преспански договор: Катастрофална пирова победа за Владата на Заев (Express MK)

Колумна на новинарот Алистер Стујарт: Северна Македонија? Не ме прави Севернобританец (The Grid)

Северна Македонија? Don’t you ‘North Briton’ me! (Time.MK)

Аластер Стујарт: Северна Македонија? Don’t you ‘North Briton’ me! (Denesen)

Северна Македонија? Don’t you ‘North Briton’ me! (Off.net.mk)

Идниот македонски зет од Шкотска не сака да биде „Севернобританец (New Macedonia)

Обединетата Македонска Дијаспора (ОМД) назначи нов Директор за Комуникации (Observer, Macedonia)

Why the United Macedonian Diaspora matters (UMD)

Brexit

Overseas MPs

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Launched a six-month campaign to introduce MPs for British citizens living in Europe. Central focus was on raising awareness as to the current status quo and putting forward suggested reforms.

Campaign to introduce MPs for British expatriates (Petition)

Scottish teacher launches petition for MPs for expats (Edinburgh Reporter)

Brexit: Brits in Spain react to Theresa May’s speech (The Local)

Scottish expat in Spain campaigns for MPs to represent Brits living abroad (The Olive Press News)

Teacher in Spain launches online petition for MPs for Brits living abroad (EuroWeekly News)

Almeria writer launches petition for MPs for British citizens abroad (The Sol Times)

March for The People’s Vote (Bremain in Spain)

Why Do We Need A People’s Vote? (Bremain in Spain)

Votes for Life must only be the beginning (Bremain in Spain)

Member of the month – Newsletter – Alastair Stewart (Bremain in Spain)