The expected appointment of Allegra Stratton as the face of Downing Street’s new daily televised press briefings has been met with a collective sigh from social media commentators, with Owen Jones describing it as another “revolving door” job.
The former ITV journalist, who is currently an adviser to the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, will host daily briefings for political journalists. The role will make her a high-profile spokeswoman for Boris Johnson.
It will form a part of a media shake-up masterminded by Johnson’s director of communications, Lee Cain, who is increasingly centralising government communications in Downing Street, and intends to significantly reduce the number of civil servants dealing with the press.
The former Guardian man has been described as Dominic Cummings’ ‘man on earth’ by one former political editor, which makes Stratton’s appointment understandable.
As John Hyde pointed out, she is married to the political editor of the Spectator, who has links to the PM’s svengali.
Elsewhere the reaction has been less than complementary, with Owen Jones pointing to the “revolving door between senior political broadcasting in this country and the ruling Conservative government”, a point Paul Bernal also picked up on.
Bibi van der Zee noted that the appointment of Stratton means Downing Street is now swimming with people with connections to the mainstream media.
Tim Walker said it is Johnson’s idea of smashing elites and making Britain a meritocracy:
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