Downing Street has firmly rejected accusations that it is avoiding scrutiny following its controversial decision to abolish the traditional afternoon press briefings for political journalists.
A "Difficult" Decision to "Modernise"
On Monday 22 December 2025, the Prime Minister's official spokesman faced repeated questions about the move, which was announced the previous week without consulting the Westminster press corps. He acknowledged the changes would be "difficult" and would be kept "under review", but insisted they were essential to modernise government communications and connect with the public where they now get their information.
The long-standing afternoon briefings have allowed the entire political "lobby" – the group of journalists covering Westminster – to ask unrestricted questions on any topic. Under the new plan, these sessions will end. Morning briefings will also sometimes be replaced by government-controlled press conferences, where the number of questions and the journalists asking them can be limited.
No 10 has stated that "content creators" will be invited to these events alongside national and regional journalists. Tim Allan, Downing Street’s executive director of communications, said last Friday that the current system was "not fit for purpose" and change was needed to better serve both journalists and the public.
Fury and Concerns Over Democratic Accountability
The announcement has provoked significant backlash from media representatives. The Society of Editors warned the shift risks severely weakening transparency. Its chief executive, Dawn Alford, called the changes "deeply concerning," arguing that the afternoon briefing is a vital democratic tool for holding power to account.
"Transparency is not just about access in theory; it is about meaningful access in practice," Alford stated. She expressed fear that replacing routine questioning with controlled conferences would limit who gets to ask questions and for how long ministers are challenged.
David Hughes and Lizzy Buchan, the outgoing and incoming chairs of the lobby, said they were "greatly concerned" and "furious" at the lack of consultation. "None of this bodes well for transparency from a Government which came into office promising to raise standards," they added.
Political Reactions and Accusations
The move has also ignited a political row. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of "running scared" from scrutiny and pledged that a future Tory government would restore the afternoon briefings.
When questioned if this was part of a pattern of avoiding accountability – alongside warnings about delayed local elections and plans to limit jury trials – the Prime Minister's spokesman dismissed the suggestion. "No, I don't accept that," he said, arguing the media landscape had changed immeasurably and the government needed to reform a decades-old system.
A Liberal Democrat spokesman criticised the approach, stating: "Updating how it communicates to better reach people is vital, but that can’t be done at the expense of scrutiny and accountability." The debate underscores a fundamental tension between modernising government messaging and preserving robust, daily journalistic access.
