Sir Keir Starmer and other ministers will hold regular news conferences in a radical shakeup of government communications.
The announcement on Thursday, shortly before parliament broke up for Christmas, was criticised by “furious” political journalists who raised concerns about transparency from a government that promised to raise standards.
Former Tony Blair adviser Tim Allan, who was made Downing Street communications director in September, sent a letter to news organisations announcing the changes “to ensure that the process is as efficient and as effective as possible”.
He said the reforms “are needed to better serve journalists and to better inform the public”.
Currently, the prime minister’s spokesperson holds news briefings each weekday morning and afternoon, or after PMQs on a Wednesday, where “members of the lobby” – political journalists with accreditation – can ask questions about what the government is doing and thinking on any topic.
Mr Allan said the reforms will mean journalists outside of the “lobby” system as well as “content creators” will now get more access to the government.
Number 10 did not provide a definition of what they consider a “content creator” to be.
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What are the changes?
From January, there will be a series of morning news conferences with ministers, and occasionally the prime minister, setting out the “main government announcements of the day”.
These will be open to lobby journalists, “sector journalists and to content creators”.
Mr Allan has also axed the daily afternoon briefings as he said it was “not a good use of journalists’ time or a good use of our communications resources” because it “often repeats lines”.
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Instead, there will be “occasional” afternoon news conferences with ministers, where they will set out a new government announcement and take questions.
There will also be occasional technical briefings where journalists can ask relevant officials questions about policy announcements.
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Press Association political editor David Hughes, the outgoing chair of the lobby, and the Daily Mirror’s political editor, Lizzy Buchan, the incoming chair, 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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The Conservatives accused Sir Keir of “running scared”.
Kemi Badenoch’s spokesman said: “This is a Labour government that hates scrutiny and blames everyone else for its failings.
“A future Conservative government would reverse these changes and restore the afternoon lobby.”
