UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson axes plans for White House-style TV briefings

Government already criticised for spending more than £2.6m on revamp of No 9 Downing Street

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a news conference amid the coronavirus disease pandemic at Downing Street on April 20, 2021 in London, England. Getty Images

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has abandoned plans for White House-style televised briefings, a source said.

The government was criticised for spending more than £2.6 million ($3.6m) on a revamp of No 9 Downing Street so that Mr Johnson’s spokeswoman, Allegra Stratton, could field questions on camera.

But Ms Stratton has now been appointed as his spokeswoman for the UN climate summit, known as Cop26, which is being held in Glasgow in November, the source said on Tuesday.

The about-face means the briefing room will instead be used by Mr Johnson, ministers and officials.

It is already in use for regular public coronavirus updates.

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