Independent Media | Campaigning Journalism
Downing Street scraps weekend press conferences
The daily Downing Street press conferences will no longer take place at weekends when viewing figures are “significantly lower”, Number 10 has said.
Briefings have been held on all but two days since 16 March, but the government has decided to scrap them on Saturdays and Sundays from this week.
Boris Johnson, who has appeared at 12 press conferences so far, will lead at least one briefing a week from now on, alongside scientific and medical experts.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson told a Westminster briefing: “From this week, the press conferences will be on weekdays only, so no longer on Saturdays and Sundays.
The daily Downing Street press conferences will no longer take place at weekends, Number 10 says, as viewing figures are “significantly lower”
— Harriet Line (@HarriLine) June 2, 2020
Read on...
Support us and go ad-free
“The PM will take a press conference every week alongside… the scientific and medical experts.
“Others will be led by secretaries of state, alongside scientific and medical experts where relevant.”
Asked why the change was being made, the spokesperson said: “It is just a fact that the numbers who are viewing at weekends do tend to be significantly lower.”
Number 10 insisted the government was “absolutely committed to keeping people updated”.
US president Donald Trump is known to care about his TV viewing figures, boasting in April that his White House news conference ratings are “through the roof”.
He has since stopped holding the briefings after saying they were “not worth” the time and effort.
I’ve had great “ratings” my whole life, there’s nothing unusual about that for me. The White House News Conference ratings are “through the roof”(Monday Night Football, Bachelor Finale , @nytimes) but I don’t care about that. I care about going around the Fake News to the PEOPLE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2020
Health secretary Matt Hancock has led the most Downing Street press conferences so far, totalling 17 as of Tuesday, while foreign secretary Dominic Raab has taken 11.
Do your bit for independent journalism
Did you know that less than 1.5% of our readers contribute financially to The Canary? Imagine what we could do if just a few more people joined our movement to achieve a shared vision of a free and fair society where we nurture people and planet.
We need you to help out, if you can.
When you give a monthly amount to fund our work, you are supporting truly independent journalism. We hold power to account and have weathered many attempts to shut us down and silence the counterpoint to the mainstream.
You can count on us for rigorous journalism and fearless opposition to an increasingly fascist government and right wing mainstream media.
In return you get:
- Advert free reading experience
- Behind the scenes monthly e-newsletter
- 20% discount from our shop
Fund us -
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
Well it does make such a mess of one’s weekend having to get out there and talk to the plebs.