The Newsroom

Government to hold daily UK televised press briefings

Following on from the "success" of the COVID-19 briefings... (July 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
AN
Andrew Founding member
Confirmed the role will be funded by the Conservatives rather than the civil service, making these political briefings rather than Prime Ministerial. Arguably as such broadcasters will need to consider whether these are effectively live partisan political broadcasts rather than government briefings.

Once a party wins an election and forms a government, whats really the difference?
JO
Jon
Confirmed the role will be funded by the Conservatives rather than the civil service, making these political briefings rather than Prime Ministerial. Arguably as such broadcasters will need to consider whether these are effectively live partisan political broadcasts rather than government briefings.

Once a party wins an election and forms a government, whats really the difference?

The Conservative party aren’t the government, the government is made up of members of the Conservative party. There is surely a legal difference between someone who is being paid by the the party than being paid by the state. This adds to the argument if these news conferences are aired by a broadcaster any equivalent from the opposition has to be given airtime.

If it was a civil servant you could argue their role was none political.
ST
Stuart
Surely this person will be classed as a SPAD, funded by the taxpayer and styled as so-called 'temporary civil servant' appointed under Article 3 of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995. He/she will not be funded by the Conservative Party.

Alistair Campbell was employed by Labour under the same rules as a 'media adviser'.

Civil Servants state the views of the incumbent governing party, not their own - which is why they are seen as non-political. To do otherwise is a breach of the Civil Service Code of Conduct.

BBC News have just confirmed what I stated above:
Quote:
The new spokesperson will be employed as a special adviser, a temporary class of civil servant allowed to give political advice to ministers, meaning they will be free to attack the opposition parties, as well as setting out the government's position.
Last edited by Stuart on 29 July 2020 2:38pm - 3 times in total
JW
JamesWorldNews
Andrew Neil is free, Stuart...............................
ST
Stuart
Andrew Neil is free, Stuart...............................

When was he ever described as a Government Adviser?

I'm sure Andrew Neil has never worked for 'free'.
Ittr and JamesWorldNews gave kudos
GL
globaltraffic24
AlexS posted:

Clarence Mitchell, formerly of the BBC, left to go and (ultimately) be the official spokesperson for the parents of Madeline McCann, but he was actually employed by the Foreign Office (he had left the BBC to go and work for the then Labour government) to handle the media such was the interest in the case. Still gets wheeled out on occasion whenever any "news" comes out with regards to this. Not entirely sure what else he does, think he works for a PR company now?


He unsuccessfully stood to be an MP for the Tories in 2015 in Brighton Pavillion

In which case sounds like he could well be a candidate for this job...


I'm willing to actually go into a bookies and put money on this one. Clarence Mitchell will undoubtedly be interviewed for the role. He operates basically as a freelance media consultant, is an ex broadcaster and has strong Tory links. He's got very little to lose taking the role, unlike any of the other candidates.
CU
Cusack
Confirmed the role will be funded by the Conservatives rather than the civil service, making these political briefings rather than Prime Ministerial. Arguably as such broadcasters will need to consider whether these are effectively live partisan political broadcasts rather than government briefings.


Which poses questions stated earlier i this thread:

1. Will this air during election period? It surely would advantage the government and be a dent in democracy.

2. Would broadcasters give the right of the opposition to respond? It seems unfair coverage if not.


Don't most parties hold press briefings anyway during an election period? It wouldn't be discussing matters in Parliament as it wouldn't be sitting in the build up to an election.
:-(
A former member
Saw a list earlier of the betting odds. Allegra Stratton is the current favourite. Lots of names with small odds I wouldn’t have thought would touch it with a barge pole - I’m not sure Laura Kuenssberg would take such a pay cut for example. Julie Etchingham is third favourite, but again I can’t see her working for the Tories after her “extermination” comment a few years back. Tom Harwood currently 20/1.

As mentioned at the start of the thread there’s a desire for it to be a female who gets it to counter the male dominance in the ‘inner circle’ so Allegra is probably a good bet. I could see Sarah Jane Mee doing it too (her odds are a bit longer).
BA
bilky asko
Saw a list earlier of the betting odds. Allegra Stratton is the current favourite. Lots of names with small odds I wouldn’t have thought would touch it with a barge pole - I’m not sure Laura Kuenssberg would take such a pay cut for example. Julie Etchingham is third favourite, but again I can’t see her working for the Tories after her “extermination” comment a few years back. Tom Harwood currently 20/1.

As mentioned at the start of the thread there’s a desire for it to be a female who gets it to counter the male dominance in the ‘inner circle’ so Allegra is probably a good bet. I could see Sarah Jane Mee doing it too (her odds are a bit longer).


Anyone outside the top 4 or 5 names in that list are just in there for the sake of it.
:-(
A former member
https://www.starsports.bet/event/544667/new-press-briefing-host
VA
valley
I think we can rule out Sam Coates... or maybe not! This was quite convincing.


HO
House
My bet is on a columnist or right-leaning political journalist/writer for something like the Spectator, who has broadcast experience as a guest or presenting The Week In Westminster’ or something. Any broadcast journalist who took the role would be permanently leaving their role as a broadcast journalist, because of impartiality, and for a role that could well have a relatively short duration.

So you can pretty safely rule out any big names. Someone like Isabel Hardman or Isabel Oakeshott is the most well-known kind of name I’d expect, assuming they might even want the job.

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