Journalists walked out of a
Downing Street briefing on
Boris Johnson’s
Brexit plans after the prime minister’s director of communications tried to restrict it to selected publications and broadcasters.
Among those boycotting the briefing were the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg and ITV’s Robert Peston.
Labour accused the prime minister of adopting the tactics of US president
Donald Trump, who regularly excludes reporters who he regards as hostile.
An invitation sent out by No 10 offered a “technical background briefing” on the PM’s plans to negotiate a Canadian-style free trade agreement with the EU by the end of the year.
But when political correspondents from various outlets arrived inside No 10, they were asked their names and told to stand in two groups on opposite sides of the entrance hall.