Why is UK paying PR firm to charm voters in Tunisia?

BRITAIN is paying the Saatchi brothers to run a publicity campaign for the Tunisian government.

The advertising agency M&C Saatchi, whose founders include brothers Maurice and Charles Saatchi, has been hired to win over Tunisian voters after reforms sparked huge protests.

The campaign’s objective is to ‘improve awareness of the government’s role in planning and delivering economic reforms’ that are being undertaken to cut its budget deficit and boost growth.

An initial phase of the Saatchi campaign will target Tunisians aged 18 to 35. Young Tunisians have been at the forefront of anti-government protests.

The money to pay M&C Saatchi comes from the £1.2billion Conflict, Security and Stability Fund run by the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development.