Conservative Party extend news access for bloggers

PRWeek can reveal the Tories have expanded the list of blogs to which news will now be made available.

The party has adapted its blogger relations policy after a staffer caused a storm in the Tory blogosphere by admitting the party's press office does not consider blogs 'important'.

Last week blogger Jason Brown, aka Tory Politico, claimed he was denied access to a news release, and was told that 'blogs are not important'.

Brown went on to attack the Tory press office's willingness to engage with independent Conservative bloggers.

The Tories, who have won plaudits for their social media strategy over the past two years, this week responded to the criticism.

However, the move stops short of a full overhaul of policy, because bloggers will still not be able to receive embargoed information. The Conservative Party press office defended the decision, pointing out that embargoes had repeatedly been broken by bloggers in the past.

CCHQ online communities editor Craig Elder said: 'This conversation does not represent the views of the CCHQ press office, but it has given us the opportunity to look at how we can open up our distribution lists to ensure bloggers are provided with the latest news from the Conservative Party.'

Separately, former ConservativeHome deputy editor Sam Coates has departed his role as a speechwriter for David Cameron to take up a role in the CCHQ new media team headed by Rishi Saha.