Press release – 27 October 2022.
Political Holdings – a UK-based media group specialising in current affairs, politics and government – has agreed to acquire a range of Media, Events and Training operations from Merit Group plc, the data and intelligence business, for £4.5m.
The Political Holdings group currently consists of Biteback Publishing (Britain’s leading current affairs publisher), Campaigns & Elections (the non-partisan, non-ideological go-to resource for campaign professionals in the US and Mexico) and ConservativeHome (the UK’s premier independent conservative news and analysis site).
The acquisition will bring these brands together with: news website PoliticsHome; magazines including The House in Westminster, Holyrood in Edinburgh and The Parliament in Brussels; the professional publications Civil Service World, Training Journal and PublicTechnology; a wide range of events currently operated under the Dods brand, including Women into Leadership, Civil Service Live and the MEP Awards; and a growing training business, offering online and in-person learning for private businesses, public bodies and individuals in the UK and globally.
Mark Wallace, Chief Executive of Political Holdings, said:
“This deal opens an exciting new era for us and for the brands which will be joining our group. Political Holdings specialises in insightful, expert content and events that illuminate politics, government and the democratic process, so the operations we are acquiring are a natural fit for our growing business. The resulting group will have great potential to grow each of its constituent parts further and faster, combining our existing expertise with a host of new perspectives, covering a diverse range of issues and institutions, and maintaining the political neutrality of the acquired brands. We are very much looking forward to welcoming and working with our new colleagues.”
The acquisition is expected to complete in the current calendar year.
