We’ve just done our round-up of the best and worst interviews of the year.
But there has since been an interview that has been so bad, we could not ignore it.
In fact, it has been described as a ‘spectacular own goal’.
Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman were interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday as part of their ‘fightback’ over allegations of wrongdoing over a £200m PPE deal.
But the high-profile interview, which you can watch here, seems unlikely to have succeeded in rebuilding their reputations.
Instead, it will be remembered as an interview laced with contradictions, defiance and attempts to paint themselves as the victims – not great crisis communication looks – and has been compared to Prince Andrew’s notorious Newsnight appearance.
One of those contradictions saw the bra baroness admit she had lied to the press to cover up her involvement in PPE Medpro but also claim that “I wasn’t trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes.”
She said: “I wasn’t trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes, and I regret it, and I am sorry for not saying straight out ‘yes, I am involved’.
“I didn’t want the press intrusion for my family. My family have been through hell with the media over my career, and I didn’t want another big hoo-ha in the press.”
“We should have told the press”
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) December 17, 2023
Baroness Michelle Mone admits lying to the media about her involvement in a PPE company led by her husband during the pandemic but says “we weren’t trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes”#BBCLauraK https://t.co/ZJkI5ROdgF pic.twitter.com/mFjaWFgka3
It’s hard to see how both statements can be true.
If you lie to the media, you are essentially lying to the public.
Baroness Mone said, “That’s not a crime”. But it’s also unwise.
And people will be forgiven for wondering where else the truth has not been forthcoming if you are prepared to admit you lied to the press on national television. How do we know everything else said is the truth?
Another contradiction surrounds who benefits from the money.
During our crisis communication training, we stress the importance of transparency. It is crucial for rebuilding trust and reputations.
But the couple tied themselves in knots here, trying to claim that Baroness Mone would not benefit from the profits of around £60m despite admitting that she and her family are beneficiaries of the financial trusts where the money is held.
“It’s not my money, I don’t have that money, my kids don’t have that money,” the lingerie tycoon said.
Ms Kuenssberg tried to give her some mid-interview advice, saying, “Why not just say ‘Yes, I stand to benefit one day’ rather than choosing to say, ‘I’m not benefitting financially’?”
But the baroness remained defiant, saying: “I am being straightforward about it. I’m saying to you I did not receive that cash. That cash is not my cash. That cash is my husband’s cash.”
I think the journalist’s answer was better.
If you are trying to be ‘straightforward’, Mr Barrowman could also do with a better answer to why his name cannot be found in relation to PPE Medpro at Companies House despite admitting to leading the business during the interview.
“In terms of my appointments, they are all handled by the people in my family office,” he said, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “That’s normal practice and has been that way forever.”
That’s an answer that raises more questions than it solves.
Another weird contradiction was the constant bashing of the media while simultaneously trying to use it to rebuild their reputations.
She claimed that her family had “gone through so much pain because of the media” and that their lives had been “destroyed”.
Criticising the media is unlikely to lead to a better outcome when you are speaking to them, particularly when you have already admitted lying about the story.
Here are some of the headlines the interview generated:
Mone: I lied Daily Record
I lied but it’s not a crime Metro
Baroness Mone: I lied over PPE but it’s not a crime Scottish Daily Mail
Squirming Michelle Mone admits lying as she's battered by Laura Kuenssberg Mirror
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, who appeared on the same programme, summed the interview up neatly when he said: “I must say I don’t know who thought it was a good idea for her to do that interview, but I don’t think anyone watching will be shedding any tears.”
And that’s a key crisis communication lesson from this interview – don’t attempt to portray yourself as a victim or scapegoat. It won’t gain the sympathy of those watching and listening.
Take responsibility rather than trying to blame others. The couple blamed the media and government officials at different stages in this interview.
There are other questions about the approach.
Why now? The interview was presumably some attempt to try to regain control of the narrative. But that narrative has been allowed to build over two years.
It becomes much harder to change the story the longer it is allowed to rumble on.
And why this format? Recent history – with the Prince Andrew and Captain Tom family interviews – has shown that these long, detailed fightback interviews have a tendency to backfire.
Thank goodness for cartoons#MichelleMone https://t.co/HFIYvDWutO pic.twitter.com/KVDMmra3W9
— Liz Webster (@LizWebsterSBF) December 18, 2023
This interview was the latest part of the couple’s belated PR fightback during an ongoing National Crime Agency investigation into allegations of fraud and bribery in relation to the PPE Medpro contracts.
Last week a glitzy YouTube video, paid for by PPE Medpro, was released as the couple finally broke their silence – nothing says ‘transparency’ quite like paying for your own ‘documentary’.
Two experts who appeared in that video have since said they would not have taken part had they been told its focus or funding. And investigative journalist Mark Williams-Thomas has been busy defending his involvement.
As reputation fightbacks go, this one has not got off to an great start.
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