Forum Topic

Daily briefings by Government à la White House from October

Why do we need this? UK government plans to hold daily White House-style televised press briefings
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53275395 The UK is a parliamentary democracy, we have a PM not a president, so announcements should be made in Parliament to Parliament.  

Ivonne Holliday ● 2104d10 Comments

If we’re going to get the equivalent of party political broadcasts from Johnson on a regular basis I think a lot of people will just switch off (literally). The law of diminishing returns and all that. He is already widely lampooned for his waffly fact-free perorations. Keir Starmer will get more attention as PMQs is just about the only way the PM can be held to account - unless of course more of his own party turn against him. There has always been an Anyone But Boris movement on the Tory backbenches.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2103d

Good question. Did we get the truth in March about test, trace and isolate being abandoned due to lack of test capacity?There is truth and whole truth as they say.

Ed Robinson ● 2104d

Reminiscent of 1984 isn't it. Bulletins from the Ministry of Truth. In an interesting modern twist, many will supplement these by reading their favourite media and websites then, thus well-informed,  come here and tell you you have it all wrong. Orwell hadn't anticipated Peer to Peer propaganda. Engels would be amazed.

Michael Winstanley ● 2104d

Does that suggest you dont believe what Messrs Whitty and Vallance tell us?

Andy Pike ● 2104d

Or perhaps give air time to some of the Sage advisors that are not permitted to attend incase they answer a question too honestly!

Ed Robinson ● 2104d

So, in the interest of showing the balance required in their charter, the BBC will have to follow each government broadcast with one from the opposition? 

Michael Ixer ● 2104d

I think the argument is that these are really political announcements and hence equal television time should be given to the opposition.

Ed Robinson ● 2104d

Perhaps Michael.  But it is very odd they will be doing these briefings in the style of the White House. I wonder if this is an inkling of the changes that Cummings has in mind?

Ivonne Holliday ● 2104d

Probably to distract from the embarrassment of not knowing the answers to Starmer's questions at PMQs? It's easier to read a pre-prepared script unless one gets tongue tied around trest-tack-tace&isorate, er, um ...

Michael Ixer ● 2104d

There is nothing that this Govt could do to satisfy you Ivonne.  You don't have to watch it.

Sue Hammond ● 2104d