THE DAILY Downing Street coronavirus briefing will be scrapped after today, No 10 has announced, leading to a social media backlash.
It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an easing of the lockdown in the House of Commons.
“From today, the press conferences will no longer be daily,” said a Government spokesman.
“We’ll continue to hold press conferences to coincide with significant announcements, including with the Prime Minister.
“We will be publishing all of the data which has previously been included in the press conference slides on gov.uk every week day.”
Twitter users hit out at the announcement, with many saying the daily press briefing was a chance to hold the Government to account.
Can't believe they cancelled the daily briefing show after one season just because the main characters killed loads of people
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) June 23, 2020
Devi Lalita Sridhar, a Professor and Chair of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University, said Downing Street has "decided the pandemic is over".
I think No.10 has decided that the pandemic is over. Will they still publish daily numbers & share data with the public? https://t.co/G92hptOhu7
— Devi Sridhar (@devisridhar) June 23, 2020
Jonathan Reed said the news means Westminster will "start to avoid scrutiny".
So as they plan to ease too much too fast they will from today start to avoid scrutiny! I know some days there isn’t anything ‘new’ to be announced, but they have given many journalists and members of the public an opportunity to ask for clarity on certain aspects #dailybriefing https://t.co/VzCVr1ATR7
— Jonathan Reed (@JR1991JR) June 23, 2020
Former LibDem MP Sarah Wollaston agreed, saying: "The #DailyBriefing was supposed to replace the ‘anonymous No10 sources’ briefings to favoured media but ended up more a showcase for govt spin excluding any experts prepared to express even a mildly challenging viewpoint...& the anonymous briefings & dodgy statistics continued."
The #DailyBriefing was supposed to replace the ‘anonymous No10 sources’ briefings to favoured media but ended up more a showcase for govt spin excluding any experts prepared to express even a mildly challenging viewpoint...& the anonymous briefings & dodgy statistics continued https://t.co/zIoFxYDaaV
— Sarah Wollaston (@sarahwollaston) June 23, 2020
Journalist Paul Dempsey asked how the public and the media would be able to scrutinise senior scientists and healthcare civil servants.
With the cancellation of the #DailyBriefing , we also need to ask what mechanisms will be in place for direct scrutiny of senior scientists and healthcare civil servants. This had already been curtailed and may be more important (may?) than ministerial spin.#Covid19UK
— Paul Dempsey (@DempseyPaul) June 23, 2020
National columnist Kirsty Strickland suggested quizzing England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance directly.
The time has come to doorstep the scientists. What do Whitty and Vallance think of dropping 2 metre rule, all but ending lockdown and the UK gov deciding they don’t need to communicate/explain their guidance to the public directly anymore?
— Kirsty Strickland (@KirstyStricklan) June 23, 2020
Actor and comedia Jack Whitehall also criticised the announcement.
No more Daily Briefing. Going to miss it. Maybe they should do a compilation show, or get Rylan to count us down the best bits.
— Jack Whitehall (@jackwhitehall) June 23, 2020
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel