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NEW SECRETARY OF STATE: Former First House Advisor Anne Solsvik. Photo: First house
Liberal leader Guri Melby collects Anne Solsvik from the First House. Deeply troublesome, says SP leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum.
– Under Erna Solberg, there has been a huge exchange between the communications and public relations industry and the government apparatus, says SP leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum.
Nine days after being elected as the new party leader, Guri Melby (V) is in the process of building her new team. The big signing is First House partner Anne Solsvik (39), who will be Melby’s new Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education.
This spring, he worked for Hurtigruten, among other places, where he organized a crisis meeting with the Liberal Party Minister of Trade and Industry, Iselin Nybø.
Vedum believes it is deeply problematic for ruling parties to recruit from the public relations industry.
– Erna Solberg should have said that it is not relevant, but in principle she has done the opposite.
CRITICAL: Sp leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum. Photo: Helge Mikalsen
Won’t answer questions
The Prime Minister defends recruitment:
– Anne Solsvik has a long career in the Liberal Party, and it is important to have space for people to return to politics even if they have worked for various companies, organizations, associations or agencies, says Erna Solberg.
Solsvik was a political advisor to former Liberal Party leader Trine Skei Grande until 2015, when she joined the First House. She was the leader of Unge Venstre from 2007 to 2010.
The new Secretary of State will not answer questions Monday night.
– We have decided that we are the ones who handle the problems related to your employee. It is my choice to hire her, so I am the one who responds, says Guri Melby to VG.
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– Good store
Vedum believes that it is a good store for communication and public relations agencies when their employees get a job in the government apparatus.
– They increase the market value and seem much more important than they are. It can also be a good store for people, who increase in value every time they visit the government apparatus, he tells VG.
In 2013, the former secretary of state of the SP, Erlend Fuglum, went to the First House. Vedum wants to see no more of that, and rules out there being a fast track back to top positions in Sp after a job in the PR industry.
– I have been completely clear since I became leader of the party in 2014. It is completely irrelevant to bring people directly from the public relations and communication industry to the party, he tells VG.
First House partner Ketil Lindseth previously described it as “a feather in the cap” for the company when employees land a job in the government apparatus.
– It is clear that people who have worked in politics and in the government apparatus have a value. Some of them at least, not everyone is employed in a public relations agency. Most politicians won’t be, Lindseth tells VG.
He thinks it’s sad to lose Solsvik, but he can’t guarantee that there will be a job or need for her or others who have left the First House in favor of a government job, if they want to return.
– Maybe we will hire new people in the functions that Anne has today. We may not have a place for her later, even though she’s been secretary of state.
LONG PARTY EXPERIENCE: Before Anne Solsvik went to First House in 2015, she worked for many years in the Liberal Party. Here in 2007, when she became leader of the Young Left. Photo: Gøran Bohlin / VG
Reject First House policy
Vedum believes that clients who want changes in education policy now know that Solsvik works at the Ministry of Education and that the people at First House know her.
Lindseth at First House rejects that it is so easy to change Norwegian education policy.
– If it had been so good, they could only have come to First House. Education policy in Norway has been relatively stable, and even with a blue government, there are almost no private schools in the country. It is not the case that people can come to First House and then we can organize more private schools in the country.
– As I know Anne, will follow the program of the party of the Liberal Party. It does not change which clients First House may have.
LEGACY ADVISOR: Here, outgoing leader Trine Skei Grande congratulates her successor Guri Melby at the Liberal Party national meeting on September 26-27. Now the former advisor to the former is returning for the latter. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB
Liberal Party leader Guri Melby believes that Solsvik has an interesting background, but that the background of his party is the most important thing.
– She is one of the few who has actually experienced before working closely with a party leader. As the new party leader, I appreciate having someone on the team who knows what everyday life is like.
– Do you understand the criticism? Are there problems with a “revolving door” between politics and the public relations industry?
– It is not the case that a type of professional career can disqualify you from working in the government apparatus.
Melby emphasizes that Solsvik has terminated his employment at First House. The company will publish its customer lists for the last 18 months.
