Parliament has been told that the flow of information to the media from Downing Street and Whitehall is now ‘at an all-time low”.
Sky News political editor Adam Boulton told peers examining relations between Gordon Brown and the media that Westminster lobby journalists were ‘probably told less’than at any previous time.
Giving evidence to the House of Lords Communications Committee, ITV political editor Tom Bradby said the value of twice-daily lobby briefings were of ‘very limited’value since Alastair Campbell abolished non-attributable briefings and put them all on the record.
Peers now intend to seek the views of regional journalists. Most regional lobby reporters have given up attending Downing Street briefings, and rely on Whitehall departments to provide them with information.
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