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Anne Gregory

Trident – battle of the dockyards

Devonport Management Limited (DML) was one of two companies competing for the Ministry of Defence Trident nuclear submarine refitting contract. Worth ₤5 billion, it would ensure a future for the winning dockyard and safeguard thousands of jobs. For Devonport it meant 5,200 jobs in the yard, 20,000 regional jobs and ₤540 million in annual regional income.

Background, research and analysis

The Rowland Company was appointed by DML in February 1992. Initial research, including contact with politicians, officials and journalists, showed that DML was behind its competitor Rosyth in the fight for Trident. The company was viewed as closed and uncommunicative. The local media were denied access to information and the national media were largely unaware of the Trident contract.

After April 1992, the election brought new local MPs unversed in the issues or in the use of Parliamentary devices. Furthermore, the then new Defence Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, was Scottish; the South West region had no ‘voice’ in Cabinet, unlike Rosyth, of which then Scottish Secretary, Ian Lang, was a public and vociferous supporter.

In short, Rosyth had an established campaign which was gaining ascendancy. To stand a chance, DML required a series of key messages, and a clear idea of how, when and to whom to convey them.

Objectives

  1. Help DML win the Trident submarine refitting contract against Scotland’s Rosyth Royal Dockyard.

  2. Raise the profile of DML to equal footing with Rosyth, traditionally seen as the ‘home’ of submarine refitting.

  3. Change perceptions of DML from ‘surface fleet experts’ with anonymous, faceless management, to an open, innovative organization with strong leadership and the experience to tackle Trident.

Strategy

The programme needed to register three key messages.

It was decided to undertake a combined aggressive lobbying and media campaign which would:

Programme

At the outset, DML lacked lobbying literature, had poor political and media contacts, and had no coordinated campaign. Activities included:

Measurements

Progress was regularly evaluated. For example, by the summer of 1992 it was evident that the main lobbying document, ‘The Devonport Case’, had been received and greeted well by South West MPs and a range of other key target audiences. The main arguments had also been well made in private meetings and by Parliamentary supporters through speeches and questions in the House of Commons.

DML had improved its image, befriended national and local media, and established a reputation as a serious contender. Media now came to DML for news and intelligence.

Measurement suggested, however, that more activity was required – privately to brief key officials and publicly to demonstrate the strength of employee support and concern. Hence diverse events were arranged in the second part of 1992, ranging from a presentation to the key Downing Street defence adviser to a mass lobby of Parliament.

Outcome

DML won the Trident – value ₤5 billion.

Local/regional MPs were brought together across party lines to influence the lobbying process. Local MPs attended events, spoke on DML platforms, bombarded the Cabinet with letters, organized Early Day Motions and adjournment debates on Devonport’s behalf.

Local media ran strong, sustained, support campaigns throughout and a sustained national media campaign ensured that the DML case was always aired.

Special events kept DML in the public eye throughout the protracted campaign.

Both of these examples have been voted best affairs campaign in recent IPR Sword of Excellence Awards.