ABSTRACT
In 1981 and 1982, the government’s approach to the presentation of nuclear issues underwent further dramatic evolution from Defence Secretary Francis Pym’s “submissive” persuasion to more assertive forms of public relations. John Nott became defence secretary in January 1981 in a climate of growing popular opposition to the government’s nuclear policies. Over a period of two years, the approach overseen by Nott would undergo a gradual shift from an effort to inform the public to be more confrontational, attacking the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) – the largest and most prominent peace movement organisation. This approach, as one former official described it, was one of “aggressive” persuasion. Nott’s tenure furthered the shift from secrecy and near silence to the government taking active steps to vocally take the argument to the opposition and win over the middle ground in the nuclear debate. The government’s presentation became increasingly assertive, more structured and carefully considered. While the Conservative Party’s position was influential in enabling this increasingly assertive persuasion, it was the need to respond to the peace movement that increasingly drove this more assertive approach to policy presentation.
