Two PR firms that worked for the government during the pandemic have been hired to manage the voices of bereaved families at the official Covid-19 inquiry, openDemocracy has learnt.
The revelation that PR giant M&C Saatchi and 23Red will be working on the ‘listening exercise’ – a key part of the investigation into the government’s handling of the pandemic that claimed at least 200,000 lives – has sparked outrage from survivors and victims’ families.
Both agencies had previously been contracted to work on the government’s pandemic response, while 23Red is currently contracted to do £2m worth of work for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Between them the companies will be paid £800,000 for working on the inquiry.
