After writing tens of obsequious articles about how great Mandelson was as the British ambassador in Washington, the media’s herd brain is starting to turn. Unfortunately the articles are all still there…
Co-conspirators will remember the lavish praise British hacks gave Mandelson as soon as he entered the ambassador’s residence on Massachusetts Avenue, reaching a crescendo around the time of the minor US-UK deal. The ‘Trump Whisperer‘ was apparently universally adored…
Unfortunately most British lobby hacks don’t have solid US sources and publish whatever they are fed. Some astute observers noted Trump’s jibe at Mandelson at the signing of the deal didn’t quite mesh…
Since Mandelson’s exit hacks are conducting a volte-face and declaring that while some in MAGA liked him, he was actually viewed sceptically by the top White House figures like Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Trump himself. Expect more of that to drip into long-reads about Mandelson in the coming weeks. Hacks are still resisting coming to terms with the work they have done over many years to polish the image of a serial briefer who was actually the poodle of a convicted paedophile…
Downing Street Communications Director Tim Allan has written to journalists in the Lobby cabal about changes Labour is making to how they are briefed. The longstanding system is two secret daily briefings that can go on for however long the journalists want, at which the PM’s spokesman issues government lines…
Now Allan says:
“How the Government provides information to journalists and responds to their questions are important parts of our democratic process. The Government wants to ensure that the process is as efficient and as effective as possible.
The media landscape has been utterly transformed over the last few years, and current arrangements are not fit for purpose. A far greater number of journalists and content creators now wish to engage with the Government and government policies outside the Lobby process, which changes the demands on government communications.
Reforms are needed to better serve journalists and to better inform the public about government policies.
We will be reforming the Lobby system from January in the following ways:
1. We will cancel the afternoon lobby. The afternoon lobby has become very sparsely attended. It often repeats lines given at the morning lobby or repeats government lines on stories which are freely available elsewhere. It is not a good use of journalists’ time, or a good use of our communications resources.
2. Instead of afternoon Lobby, we will commence occasional afternoon press conferences with Ministers in Number 9 Downing Street. These will start with the Minister setting out a new announcement from the government and taking questions on it.
3. We will also commence occasional afternoon technical briefings in Number 9 Downing Street. These will provide an opportunity to ask relevant officials detailed questions on policy announcements.
4. We will be instigating a series of morning press conferences in Number 9 Downing Street with Ministers, and occasionally the Prime Minister setting out the main government announcements of the day. These will be open to the lobby, to sector journalists and to content creators. When such press conferences occur, there will not be a Lobby briefing that day.
These changes will begin in the first week of January. I hope you agree that these changes will allow Lobby journalists more direct access to Ministers and a greater ability access information about government policies.”
Joint statement from David Hughes and Lizzy Buchan, outgoing and incoming Lobby chairs:
“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. “
Lobby hacks rankled…
There was huge frustration from an assembled pack of Lobby journalists in Downing Street today for the regular briefing. Downing Street’s inability to answer basic questions about the headline issues is becoming endemic…
No10 is failing to provide substantive answers to basic questions:
Gossiping Lobby hacks say relations have seriously deteriorated and the communications chaos is unprecedented for less than a year of a new government in office. Slow moving car crash becoming fast moving…
At the Lobby briefing this morning Downing Street kicked off the two-minute silence at 11:58 and had it go on for four minutes. Now they have sent every single Lobby hack to the wrong car factory site. The few hacks who turned up to the right location did so mostly by accident…
The entire pack of Westminster journalists is currently on a 25-minute race to the correct location for Starmer’s press conference. Did someone say the UK wasn’t expecting this today?
Sir Keir has landed in Rio de Janeiro for the G20 summit, rubbing shoulders with Xi Jinping and so far artfully sidestepping any chat about allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles. As usual, the faithful flock of Lobby journalists have trailed along to hang on his every word – same script, just in sunnier surroundings.…
This time round, print and broadcast hacks shelled out £1,000 for accommodation and £2,500 to fly with Keir, or £4,500 if they were lucky enough to score business class tickets. Though sadly for the Lobby, the eye-watering tickets can’t buy them their beloved private jet pics anymore, as Number 10 has slapped a ban on cosy photos with the PM on high-altitude official business. Instead, the only photos allowed are of a soulless, dutiful Starmer going about business – the press pack bereft of the chance to flaunt their in-flight access to their profiles. No snaps, no glory…
Based on high-level sources Guido reported this morning that Sue Gray’s job offer had been withdrawn by the PM. After having been first to report last month that most expected it never to materialise…
Two hours later the FT dropped an “exclusive” claiming from “allies” of Gray that she “has taken a decision not to take the role.” Trying to jump after having been pushed…
One government source, who is sympathetic to Gray, said to the Guardian that Gray knew the job was withdrawn: “She has been warned that this is the direction of travel.”
A Downing Street source also tells the BBC: “We think she has made the right decision.” A classic of the genre, essentially confirming it was withdrawn by the PM…
Meanwhile, Lobby hacks are lapping up Gray’s spin. You’re either in front of Guido…
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”