UK Government scraps daily coronavirus press conferences

Health Secretary Matt Hancock during the daily media briefing in Downing Street on coronavirus

After today, press conferences will only take place to deliver significant updates. Data including daily coronavirus infections and deaths will continue to be published Monday to Friday on the UK Government website.

The press conferences – 92 in total – have offered a daily opportunity for journalists, including from regional and local outlets, to question ministers and leading public health advisers. Members of the public have also been able to submit questions.

There have been reports of tensions between the UK Government and some of the senior NHS figures and government advisers who have appeared alongside ministers, particularly around the controversy involving the Prime Minister’s top adviser Dominic Cummings, who broke lockdown restrictions.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “From today, the press conferences will no longer be daily. We’ll continue to hold press conferences to coincide with significant announcements, including with the Prime Minister.

“We will be publishing all of the data which has previously been included in the press conference slides on gov.uk every week day.”

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