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New-look Downing Street briefing room makes TV debut after £80,000 revamp

21 Jan 2025 2 minute read
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivers a statement in the newly refurbished Briefing Room at 10 Downing Street in London. Image: Henry Nicholls/PA Wire

Sir Keir Starmer has held his first press conference in the Downing Street briefing room after up to £80,000 of taxpayers’ money was spent on a “politically neutral” refurbishment.

The room, in 9 Downing Street, was redecorated during December and the Prime Minister used it on Tuesday morning to make his statement on the Southport atrocity.

The blue panels which had formed the backdrop to the press conference stage have been replaced with wood panels with inlaid lighting.

Refresh

The colour blue is traditionally associated with the Conservatives in British politics.A Government crest was fitted on the wall behind the Prime Minister’s podium ahead of Sir Keir’s statement,The blue panels which surrounded the TV screen on the stage have been replaced by grey ones, while the blue carpet lining the stage has also been swapped for one in various shades of grey.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman has previously described the changes as a “one-off refresh” “to restore the room to a politically neutral setting”.

“The panelling restores the room back to its original state,” the spokesman said. “The cost is obviously a fraction of what the previous administration spent on the room.”

It is understood the cost of the revamp amounted to less than £80,000.

“Vanity project”

Under Boris Johnson, the previous government spent £2.6 million converting the space into a TV briefing room that opened in 2021, a move Labour at the time labelled a “vanity project”.The government had planned to hold White House-style press briefings in the room on camera, but scrapped the idea.The room has since been used to host press conferences as well as the daily lobby briefing for journalists.

It previously served as the courtroom for the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council before it moved to the Supreme Court building in 2009.


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Amanda
Amanda
9 hours ago

So this is a non story. I’m no labour fan, but this constant attack is ridiculous, especially considering what the previous party did and got away with. People have short memories and mindlessly believe any rubbish put in front of them.

Jeff
Jeff
9 hours ago

Nothing wrong with it. Pass the pledge.

I object to funding Johnson post his running away, not this.

Or do people want a leaky portacabin around the back to show the UK government on an international stage.

S Duggan
S Duggan
9 hours ago

Waste of money, when people are scared to put the heating on.

Paul ap Gareth
Paul ap Gareth
40 minutes ago
Reply to  S Duggan

Should be more angry that Johnson spent £2.6m on making it in the first place. And in doing so had it painted Conservative party blue making it inevitable that it would have to be redone.

Why vote
Why vote
4 hours ago

Dont they know about the black hole? Maybe they do and they are just topping it up.

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