Former journalist Allegra Stratton, who led the No. 10 TV briefings

Former journalist Allegra Stratton, who led the No. 10 TV briefings

Former journalist Allegra Stratton will lead a new daily television press briefing on No 10, BBC sources understand.

Stratton – who has worked for both ITV and the BBC – will become the government’s new press secretary.

The daily updates, similar to the one used by the White House in the United States, are expected to begin next month.

Boris Johnson said the briefing would allow the public to have a more “direct engagement” with the government.

The change follows a raft of television press conferences from Downing Street during the coronavirus epidemic.

Currently, political journalists can question the Prime Minister’s official spokesman – who is a civil servant – about turning off the camera every day.

These briefings are on record, meaning they can be quoted and thanks to the spokesperson, whose name is never taken. Under the changes, briefings will be on camera.

However Stratton’s role is politically appointed by the Conservative Party.

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P.A. Media

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Boris Johnson and cabinet ministers hold a press conference during the coronavirus epidemic

The BBC’s deputy political editor, Vicky Young, said the government wanted to “try to get their message out there to viewers” and present a briefing.

But he said the idea was controversial, as it would not be updated by any elected official.

After the plan was announced in July, Labor said Sir Kerr Starmer said it could pose a risk of “imbalance in political discourse” and that it was “obviously a political move”.

Labor announced that their leader would take media questions at a monthly press conference, a spokesman said, adding that Sir Care “does not dip into difficult questions or hide them from the press”.

But Downing Street said ministers would make regular representations at Stratton-led briefings.

Who is Allegra Stratton?

Strait graduated from Cambridge University and began his career as a producer at the BBC.

She then became a political reporter for the Guardian, before returning to the BBC as Newsnight’s political editor.

He left the BBC to become national editor at ITV News, and co-presented Peston on Sunday.

But earlier this year, he quit journalism to become director of strategic communications for Chancellor Ishii Sunak.

The job advertiser on the Conservative Linkin page said his salary would be “based on experience”, but Daily Telegraph Indicated that it is likely to be more than 100,000 in a year.

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ITV

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Strait left the BBC in 2015 to work for ITV News

Stratton will serve as a special adviser – a temporary class of civil servant who allows ministers to give political advice.

This means that he will be free to attack the opposition as well as to determine the position of the government.

Her daily briefing will take place at the redeveloped 9 Downing Street, used by the Chief Whip and Brexit Secretary in recent years.

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