A guiding hand through the Westminster maze: Stephenson Mohl

Politics impacts on every area of life, whether at home or in business.

From parking charges and business rates to determining the fate of major building and infrastructure projects, politicians at all levels – from parish hall to the hallowed halls of Westminster – can make or break any project.

To succeed, businesses of all sizes, and all sectors, must engage with politicians at all levels, says Alex Kirkup, senior public affairs manager at Stephenson Mohl Group.

The public affairs agency, founded in Newcastle seven years ago by managing director Mark Stephenson, has won wide acclaim for its work with clients across the North East and beyond, helping them navigate and assess the political landscape.

And with a new Westminster office having opened its doors in late October, Stephenson Mohl Group is taking the initiative to build relationships at the heart of the Government.

“This is a natural step for us,” says Alex, who joined the company in January.

He adds: “We offer expertise of politics and policy at a local and regional level but, by having a Westminster office, we are utilising that experience and knowledge to have a national impact on policymakers.”

While Westminster is home to the Government, there are also many other influential organisations in the capital – an opportunity for Stephenson Mohl Group’s team to make connections and tap into national campaigns, driving engagement and understanding about regional issues facing clients.

Working with firms across housebuilding, advanced manufacturing, education, health and renewable energy, the collective expertise of its team – which includes former North East Chamber of Commerce policy expert Mark, head of communications Rebecca Johnson, public affairs managers Georgia Jamieson and Joseph Mckenna, and head of government relations Simon Henig – means Stephenson Mohl Group is building a formidable reputation.

With a new Government in power, and the North East Combined Authority starting to find its feet, engaging across all levels of the political spectrum has never been more important.

Alex says: “Politics is not something you can opt out of.

“If you don’t speak to power about the challenges you face, or the opportunities you have to grow, someone else will be talking about them instead.

“It can feel like you’re in the wilderness, but that’s where a public affairs company like ours can provide a business with a map of how to navigate the political space they need to operate in, and be a trusted guide throughout.”

Alex points to the new Government’s manifesto, which announced a national mission for growth.

He says: “Developers behind projects such as housing and wind and solar power can see the opportunity to help the Government, but they’re also aware of the clear limitations that can delay or stop projects from progressing, such as issues with planning policy and investment gaps.”

The 2024 election was striking not only for the scale of Labour’s victory, but also the size of the new intake of first-time MPs – the highest since 1945.

Alex says: “From the conversations we’ve been having, there is a lot of optimism out there at the moment.

“We have a group of ministers in power now who, by and large, have not been in government before.

“They are in listening mode, so now is a great time to engage.”

Another change in the political landscape this year was the formation of the North East Combined Authority, which saw power devolved to an organisation covering seven local authorities in the north of the region under directly-elected mayor Kim McGuinness.

Alex says: “Devolution is seen as an exciting new opportunity for the North East.

“Everyone wants to understand what the mayor and the combined authority mean for them, and to build relationships with the organisation.

“But it’s important to understand that not everything is devolved to the combined authority – a lot remains with local authorities, and they are still very, very important to business, developers and investors, as are MPs.

“For us, it’s about making sure organisations have the best information – and the best assessment of that information – so they know who exactly to speak to about their particular case to help them succeed.”