Five shops lose out as COI rejigs Govt line-up.(UK's Central Office of Information)(Brief Article)

At least five agencies lost their places on the Government's roster this week as COI Communications recruited new shops in order to keep the pressure on its well-established agencies.

The losers included TBWA\ London, which may have paid a price for handling Labour's general election campaign as the Blair Government seeks to avoid allegations of "sleaze" by handing taxpayer-funded campaigns to the party's agency. Leith, CDP, Golley Slater and Cogent also lost their places.

Bates UK and Partners BDDH have been removed from the above-the-line roster but have secured places on the direct roster.

COI refused to name the agencies on its roster or even confirm how many remain on the list of about 30 shops. The six newcomers are Fallon, Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy, Mother, Mustoe Merriman Levy, Publicis and Walsh Trott Chick Smith.

Meanwhile, Leo Burnett and Faulds, which have handled government work in the past, regained their places on the roster.

New rules allowed three of the "new boys" -- Fallon, Mother and MCBD--to join the list earlier than expected. Previously, COI had to study ...