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The Downing Street Press Briefing Room was a news media room located in 9 Downing Street where press conferences were hosted by the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, and government officials. The Prime Minister has also used the room to give ministerial broadcasts to the country and the press.[1]
The first broadcast made by a prime minister was by Anthony Eden on 27 April 1956 through the BBC,[2] and over time press conferences at Downing Street have been held by prime ministers in different locations. Sometimes they have been held outside, in front of the door of No. 10[3] and then alternatively in the rose garden such as during the Cameron-Clegg coalition.[4]
In more recent times, the state dining room in No. 10 has been used as a temporary press briefing room[5] which has allowed for better coverage when there have been times of bad weather.
During the COVID-19 pandemic the government along with chief medical and science officers started to hold daily press briefings to keep members of the public updated, and to give the media an opportunity to ask questions.[6] As a result of the growing number of press conferences needed on a daily basis, the government under Boris Johnson converted a room in No. 9 Downing Street into a permanent media conference room. This would allow members of media to have a permanent place in Downing Street, and would avoid having to convert the state dining room at No.10 into a temporary media room.[7]
The new media refit cost up to £2.6 million when figures were released. A breakdown of the costs was released by the Cabinet Office under freedom of information, which showed the main workings of the room cost £1.8 million, broadband equipment £30,000 and long lead items up to £200,000.[8] The Press Briefing Room was criticised as a "waste of cash" and "far too American" by a Conservative MP.[which?] Additionally Labour representatives also expressed concern, arguing that taxpayers might perceive the expenditure as wasteful, especially in light of financial constraints.[9]
A Russian-owned company played a key role in the £2.6m renovation of No. 9 Downing Street in an undisclosed contract to prepare it for "White House-style" televised media briefings. Megahertz, a company acquired in 2013 by the UK arm of Okno-TV, a Moscow-based firm, installed computers, cameras, microphones, and a control desk.[10] Okno-TV has performed technical work for state-controlled Russian broadcasters, and most of Megahertz’s current shareholders were either current or former workers at the Russian firm. Despite assurances from the government about security measures,[11] the involvement of Megahertz raised concerns among MPs and industry sources about the appropriateness and transparency of the contract award process. Labour and the chair of parliament’s cross-party group on Russia have called for more transparency regarding the refurbishment.[12]
The first press conference held in the new briefing room was held by Boris Johnson on 29 March 2021.[13] The first conference was hoped to have been held in the autumn of 2020, however delays to the construction meant conferences from the room would be held back.[14] Both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak also used the press briefing room.
Keir Starmer reverted to using the state dining room for his first press conference as Prime Minister on Saturday, 6 July 2024.[15] By August 2024 the room was reported to be 'out of action' with the space at 9 Downing Street 'undergoing refurbishment'.[16]
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