The lobby of Westminster journalists has been cajoled by the government into reporting Labour plans to align with the EU single market via secondary legislation and without votes in parliament. Using so-called ‘Henry VIII powers’…
The substantive news was announced by Reeves at her Mais lecture and fleshed out by the FT three weeks ago, which said “the bill would allow Britain to adopt EU regulations to clear the way for an EU-UK food and agriculture trade deal… it would also pave the way for ministers to transfer other EU laws on to the UK statute book in future… government officials say Britain will seek ‘carve outs’ from some elements of EU rules and that MPs will have some kind of ‘oversight mechanism.'” The breathless reporting from papers rushing to get their ‘exclusives’ out tells you how much the lobby is a poodle to No10…
Readouts fired from the top of government last night caused the entire herd of Lobby hacks to type up exactly what they’re told on the phone. The government wants to have a fight over the EU reset right now… it wants to have it known that it is forcing single market alignment through because it thinks that will make it popular…
The Guardian reported the same thing as the FT – three weeks later – and claimed an ‘exclusive.’ Every other outlet followed suit. A No10 SpAd telling you something on the blower that’s already public does not a scoop make…
Some hacks have realised their mistake. Pippa Crerar posted on X today after the Guardian made a song and dance of its fake exclusive: “Keir Starmer confirms our stories in recent weeks that government wants power to sign up to EU single market rules *without* normal parliamentary vote.” Embarrassing…
Mass meltdown was triggered by Downing Street last night – in the Westminster village at least – over upcoming changes to ‘lobby’ briefings. These are the twice daily secret briefings given to a select group of political journalists who call themselves ‘the lobby’. No10 is cutting down briefings to one per day, and on some days they’ll be replaced entirely by press conferences…
The lobby, angered by this move, has a justified point that this will limit space for the government to be questioned – and press conferences at which ministers can hand pick friendly outlets for questions is not the same. That said, it’s not like lobby briefings are transparent, given that they are, er, closed to the public and most journalists…
The truth is that the world has changed and government communications – and the lobby – has failed to keep up. There’s no argument for closed shop briefings in today’s world – in fact, the secrecy of the lobby actually undermines public confidence and makes journalists less trusted. Conversely, there’s also no argument for the government’s plan to only pick politically friendly ‘influencers’ or YouTubers because it suits Labour. There is a solution…
Guido today relaunches its old campaign which will be familiar to veteran co-conspirators. Bring the UK into line with comparable Western democracies and simply televise all government media briefings…
Whenever hacks defend the current system, their arguments tend to rest on claims of transparency and accountability: we can ask as many questions as we like – on any topic – and a government spokesman has to respond. There is no reason this would be undermined by sticking a camera in the room. Indeed, the President of the United States manages to take televised press pack questions even on Air Force One. All that changes is the public would be able to sniff out any spin or distortion for themselves. The hacks are no longer the gatekeepers of the news agenda…
It has worked in the US for years, and it would work here. If a government spokesman wants to spew out some guff, let the public see it in real time. Any hack who argues it is their job to synthesise the briefings for the benefit of their audience must think their readers or viewers are fools. Let’s just cut out the middleman. Nothing is stopping journalists from writing long-winded analyses after the (live) briefing is over, anyway. It is time to drag the whole thing, kicking and screaming, into the twenty-first century. A system of public, televised briefings, along with a normal pattern of ministerial press conferences and speeches with questions would restore some trust in spinners and hacks alike. In the meantime, while the lobby and the government shout at each other, the public are taking their attention elsewhere…
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…
In a major shake-up of the White House’s briefing system Trump is expected to open up credentials to new media sources like podcasters, influencers, and non-traditional outlets. During his last administration Trump tried to keep hostile outlets away from off-camera briefings – this time Trump’s team is set to expand access instead. Picture Joe Rogan at the front of the briefing room…
There are a total of 49 reporters allowed a seat in the James S. Brady press briefing room in a system which operates similarly to Westminster’s Lobby. Reporters get privileged access to the government not afforded to the rest – those inside have a tendency to guard it fiercely. Traditional outlets will lose out from any widening of access. You can hear the shrieks of anguish from across the pond…
Trump has already named Karoline Leavitt, who headed up press for his campaign, as the youngest White House press secretary in history. Widening access to the Press Corps would be a valuable reform and could provide a blueprint for how to deal with the cosy Lobby. Move with the times or the times move you…
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…
Starmer and his team touched down in Samoa this morning after flying for a ridiculous 27 hours (not including refuelling stops). Accompanied by the usual gaggle of lobby journalists looking forward to putting out all the same lines about the PM, just from a different location…
Broadcasters and print hacks paid about £4,750 to fly with Keir, or an eye-watering £10,000 if they were lucky enough to score business class. What do they get for their cash?
- Thunder and showers disrupting the official itinerary.
- A short CHOGM event being hijacked by campaigners demanding the UK pay reparations for slavery…while Starmer tries to talk about trade instead.
- Official snubs from Commonwealth leaders, including Modi and Ramaphosa who are at Putin’s BRICS summit in Russia. Hilariously even Trudeau didn’t bother to come, sending his high commissioner to London in his place. The Canadian PM did however send doughnuts when the plane stopped for fuel in Winnipeg, which were promptly eaten by the lobby, a big news moment…
Lobby hacks who stayed home are feeling smug as more interesting news ploughs on in dry London. One says: “You literally couldn’t have paid me to go on this one.” And they’ve got to fly all the way back…
Statement by Paul Dacre, Editor-in-Chief of Associated Newspapers Limited, following Harry’s loss in court today:
“Prince Harry wrote a sad book which boasted about his killing of 25 Taliban, his drug-taking and, in cringe-making detail, how he lost his virginity. There isn’t a laundry in the cosmos big enough to wash all the dirty linen he has aired about his own family. For him, to complain about HIS privacy being invaded takes, not just the biscuit, but the whole tin. Poor Harry. I feel sorry for the way a confused and angry young man has been drawn into this case. The bitter irony is that his mother, Diana, liked the Mail. We were her paper. We took her side in her acrimonious break up with Charles. She and I would speak and meet. The Mail’s superb royal reporter was her friend and confidante. The truth is that this trumped-up action – which has cost well over £50 million and wasted a huge amount of valuable court time – should never have been brought to trial. That it did, raises profoundly disturbing questions about the conduct of elements of the legal profession. Today’s verdict is not just a victory for Associated’s magnificent journalists – several of whom have had a terrible toll imposed on their health and lives – but a free press generally. Make no mistake. This was a conspiracy, supported by Hacked Off, to destroy a paper. Financed by the orgy-loving, racist Max Mosley and involving the actor Hugh Grant, it was also a sinister bid to resuscitate Leveson Two and impose statutory regulation on the press which, even now, is rearing its ugly head in Labour’s Media Green Paper.”
