[arista]

What a Bloody Mess.


[Downing Street has scrapped plans to
launch new White House-style press conferences
after spending £2.6m on a venue to host them.
The PM's media chief Allegra Stratton - who had
been due to front the briefings - has confirmed
the move to the BBC.
She will instead become the spokeswoman for
the COP26 climate summit.
The government was criticised for the
price tag of its new facilities at 9 Downing Street,
which will now be used by
the prime minister and officials.]



[The briefings fronted by Ms Stratton
had been due to start in October last year,
but the government said they had been
delayed because ministers were continuing
to hold coronavirus briefings.
Ms Stratton has been given the job of the
government's spokeswoman for COP26
- a UN climate change conference
due to take place in November in Glasgow,
chaired by former business secretary Alok Sharma.
She said: "I am delighted to be starting this new role.
"The COP26 climate conference is a unique
opportunity to deliver a cleaner,
greener world and I'm looking forward
to working with the prime minister
and Alok Sharma to ensure it is a success."]


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56818750