PM’s right hand man criticises government communications operation

Thomas Edwards | 9th February 2026 | Comment, Policy & Think Tanks, Politics
Number 10 Downing Street is the headquarters and London residence of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Number 10 Downing Street is the headquarters and London residence of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The government’s communications operation has been publicly criticised by a senior ministerial aide who also plays a central role in overseeing that work, in a rare confrontation over how Downing Street manages its messaging and engagement with the media and public.

Critics inside Westminster and within government have suggested the current arrangements are outdated and fail to connect effectively with journalists and broader audiences. The intervention from a senior figure aligned with the prime minister came amid wider scrutiny of the government’s strategic communications, including the removal of daily press briefings and restructuring of how officials speak to the political press corps. Changes to the briefings system announced late last year have been contentious, with some journalists and commentators warning that reduced opportunities for direct questions undermine transparency. Downing Street has signalled its intention to hold more formal news conferences involving ministers and the prime minister as part of a shake up aimed at improving how announcements reach the public and media. The reforms included extending access beyond traditional accredited political journalists to other media creators, in part to modernise the process. The criti...

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