DOWNING Street spent more than £2.6 million on refurbishments to hold White House-style press briefings, it has emerged.
The cost of the renovations for the televised question and answer sessions with journalists was revealed as Boris Johnson faces pressure over the funding of a separate revamp to his official residence.
The Prime Minister’s priorities were questioned after shelling out millions on “vanity projects” while “picking the pockets” of NHS workers, amid growing anger at the UK Government proposing a pay rise for health staff of just 1%.
READ MORE: Matt Hancock defends one per cent pay rise for nurses despite threat of strikes
An extensive overhaul in No 9 Downing Street began last year as the Government announced the plans to hold the televised briefings, with their launch long delayed during the coronavirus pandemic.
In response to a freedom of information (FoI) request, the Cabinet Office yesterday issued a breakdown of the costs totalling £2,607,767.67, largely excluding VAT.
The department said funds have been spent to allow daily broadcasting by news organisations within the Grade I-listed building.
“This will necessarily require one-off capital works, including audio-visual equipment, internet infrastructure, electrical works and lighting,” the response said.
READ MORE: Court order shows 'Boris Johnson misled parliament over Covid-19 contracts'
“This spending is in the public interest as the new broadcasting of lobby briefings will increase public accountability and transparency about the work of this Government now and in the future.
“Such spending on maintenance and technical facilities reflects that 9 Downing Street (the Privy Council Office) is a Grade I-listed building.”
Opposition MPs seized on the figure to criticise the Government’s recommendation of a 1% pay rise for NHS workers despite the unprecedented pressure they suffered during the coronavirus pandemic.
As nurses considered taking industrial action, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “It would take around 100 years for a newly qualified nurse to get paid this kind of money.
“It sums up Boris Johnson’s warped priorities that he can find millions for vanity projects, while picking the pockets of NHS workers.”
LibDem deputy leader Daisy Cooper added: “This is nothing more than an expensive vanity project and is just more evidence that this Government’s priority is spin, not substance.
READ MORE: Allegra Stratton to be Boris Johnson's new Downing Street spokesperson
“The Prime Minister himself said that he ‘owed his life’ to Covid doctors and nurses but now he’s happy to see frontline nurses take a real-terms pay cut, whilst he gets a flashy new TV studio – the Prime Minister should hang his head in shame.”
The disclosure came as the Prime Minister faced pressure over the refurbishment of his official flat above No 11 overseen by his fiancee, Carrie Symonds.
With costs reported to be spiralling, Downing Street refused to deny that Johnson was considering setting up a charity to pay for the works to the flat.
The move raised concerns of possible conflicts of interest, offering a potential back door to providing a financial benefit to the Prime Minister.
The televised briefings were said to be the brainchild of Johnson’s former adviser Lee Cain.
But he reportedly disagreed with the Prime Minister’s choice of former journalist Allegra Stratton as press secretary to lead the briefings as a Government spokeswoman.
Cain later left Downing Street, along with former Vote Leave colleague Dominic Cummings, as a behind-the-scenes power struggle within No 10 spilled out into the open.
An advert said the salary for the press secretary role would be based on experience, but reports suggested the taxpayer-funded post would pay around £100,000 a year.
The FoI response, which was delayed by several weeks as officials decided whether the disclosure was in the public interest, included £1,848,695.12 for the “main works”.
Other costs included £198,023.75 on “long lead items”, and £33,394.63 on broadband equipment.
The launch of the televised briefings had been anticipated as early as the autumn, but in January No 10 said they were being delayed as ministers planned to hold regular press conferences during the lockdown.
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