With plans set to start televised daily press conferences, Downing Street has spent more than £2.6m on fitting out a new media briefing room, it has emerged.
To be set out like those held at the White House in the US, the Cabinet Office declared the spending to be in the public interest and would be increase public accountability and transparency. The Cabinet Office issued a breakdown of spending on the briefing room, which totalled £2,607,767.67 as a response to a Freedom of Information request made by the Press Association news agency.
The Cabinet Office said that the money had been spent to allow various news organisations to broadcast from No 9 Downing Street. A spokesperson said: "This will necessarily require one-off capital works, including audio-visual equipment, internet infrastructure, electrical works and lighting. Spending on maintenance and technical facilities reflects that 9 Downing Street is a Grade I listed building." Labour said: It reflected Boris Johnson's warped priorities".
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner contrasted the spending to the government's proposed 1% pay rise for NHS nurses.
It comes as further details emerged about plans to renovate Mr Johnson's Number 10 flat, including possibly asking the public to donate to it. "It would take around 100 years for a newly qualified nurse to get paid this kind of money,” she said. "It sums up Boris Johnson's warped priorities that he can find millions for vanity projects, while picking the pockets of NHS workers.
"Our NHS heroes deserve a fair pay rise after all they have done for us."
The new briefings were expected to begin in the autumn, but have been delayed because of the pandemic.
