Hain: we can help you through the storm

Peter Hain may be off the hook, pending official inquiries, but should he feel the need for extra help he may not have far to look.

John Underwood, a pivotal figure in the Hain campaign, offers crisis management through a PR company he founded in 1991 "we can help you through the storm".

As it says on the CLEAR website: "Despite well-made plans and best intentions, things can still go wrong. What matters is how you deal with them. CLEAR can help prepare for the worst, handle the flak and respond positively to ensure the fastest possible recovery."

But how can you spot a crisis if it's not staring you in the face?

"It is notoriously difficult to define a crisis. What constitutes a crisis for one organisation will not necessarily be a crisis for another. Generally, however, a crisis will involve, or at least potentially involve, a number of common factors.

Typically, a crisis will:
be unexpected or unpredicted;
begin as a small problem with the potential to escalate into something bigger;
be something around which information is uncertain or unreliable;
threaten the performance or even the survival of the organisation or business
attract negative publicity;
give managers little time in which to react;
involve a break in service, operations or supply;
always have the potential to affect adversely the corporate reputation;
also offer an opportunity to enhance the corporate reputation if managed appropriately."

I think it's safe to assume the Hain camp can tick most of the above boxes.