Yet more changes in the way that Downing Street handles the media were announced today ahead of televised briefings beginning in the new year. Following PMQs Allegra Stratton, in a joint briefing with No. 10’s new Head of Press, Jamie Davies, announced that she will speak to hacks on the record, changing the tradition of Lobby briefings by the PM’s Press Secretary coming from an anonymous “Downing Street spokesman”. The Press Secretary is not to be confused with the Prime Minister’s Spokesman, who has been on the record since Blair’s time. 

The implication of all this is that there will be no off the record negative briefings from the main Downing Street officials who brief the media. This will be quite an innovation.

In another sign of the end to the previous regime’s attitude to the Lobby, Stratton told the gathered journos “The media has had a very good and powerful role during the pandemic so far”. Polling would beg to differ…