The Independent’s Pandora column reports that the company owned by Lord Saatchi is planning to run another general election advertising campaign for the Conservatives. It’s far from a done deal though, as well as overcoming any lingering personal difficulties M&C Saatchi will have to beat off competition from big-player WCRS.
The company’s relationship with the party goes back to when Thatcher hired it in opposition, but its future looked bleak after the party had to pay between £769,000 and £2.9m to Saatchi’s companies when he was the Party Co-Chairman. Especially since he criticised the very campaign that he was being paid for after the 2005 election, and has been openly critical of Cameron’s strategy since.
Saatchi has also had falling outs in the past with two men who are very powerful in Cameron’s Conservatives, his protege Steve Hilton and Lord Ashcroft.
His latest personal project is writing a book on anti-Americanism.
Deputy Editor