Russian firm refits 9 Downing Street for the press room
Downing Street denies security risks after Russian-owned firm chosen to work on new briefing roomThe £2.6 million refit of 9 Downing Street will play host to daily press conferencesDowning Street has insisted there is no security threat at the heart of Government after it emerged a Russian-owned company helped with the £2.6 million refit of a new White House-style media briefing room.Boris Johnson’s press secretary, Allegra Stratton, said officials had taken “the necessary measures to ensure the highest standards of security” after it was reported that Megahertz, a Russian-owned company, had supplied equipment for the studio.Megahertz was brought in by the Government’s own facilities management contractor, Interserve, late last year for work that lasted around four months, the website HuffPost said.The company is part-owned by two Russian shareholders, who are also the CEO and commercial director of OKNO-TV, a Russian company that has previously carried out technical work for Channel One and Russia Today, two Kremlin-affiliated broadcasters.............The refit of a room in Number 9 Downing Street – reportedly the idea of Dominic Cummings – will allow Ms Stratton to answer reporters’ questions on live television, in a similar model to the White House’s briefing sessions.On Monday leaked pictures of the studio Megahertz worked on showed a raised stage, blue panelling and a lectern, alongside broadcasting equipment.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/03/15/downing-street-denies-security-risks-russian-owned-firm-chosen/Hmmmmmmm.....
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