Senior Westminster political reporters fear ‘loss of scrutiny’
Downing Street plans to shake-up long-standing arrangements which give experienced political reporters frequent opportunities to ask the government about newsworthy matters of public interest.
Currently, there are twice daily briefings open to a select group of political journalists, who can challenge the official spokesperson on policy, government announcements of wider topics on the news agenda.
From the first week of January, there will only be the morning session – with the afternoon ‘lobby briefing’ being scrapped. Senior political journalists have warned the reforms will “restrict access and… scrutiny”, and that it doesn’t “bode well for transparency”.
Number 10 executive director of communications Tim Allan said the changes will make the process of briefing both journalists and the public “as efficient and as effective” as possible.
For many years political journalist have been able to ask the PM’s spokesperson questions in the existing daily briefings, and the session runs as long as journalists have queries.
Now there will be a “series” of morning news conferences from Downing Street with ministers and possibly the Prime Minister and attendance will be widened to include content creators and sector journalists as well.
It is feared Downing Street will restrict who can ask the questions, as well as how long ministers can be expected to answer. When there is a news conference there will be no briefing. Allan has said these will see ministers set out new policies and take questions on it. He added that this should mean greater access to members of the cabinet or junior ministers than there is currently.
In addition, under the new reforms, NO10 has promised “occasional afternoon technical briefings” which journalists will be able to attend, where the media will be able to question “relevant officials” on detailed policy.
The changes have condemned by the group of seasoned political journalists who form the ‘lobby’.
In a joint statement, David Hughes and Lizzy Buchan, The outgoing and incoming heads of the lobby , said: “We are greatly concerned by this step and furious that the lobby was not consulted about this move which restricts access and, we fear, scrutiny.’
“Downing Street has promised more ministerial press conferences, but they will obviously control the timetable for those and will no doubt seek to choose who they take questions from.
“None of this bodes well for transparency from a government which came into office promising to raise standards.”
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