Susanna Reid explains why taking ministers off the media rounds is a bad idea

Susanna Reid has explained why reported plans to reduce the number of daily TV and radio interviews ministers have with journalists are plain wrong.

Last week, The Mirror reported that ministers' appearances will be reduced to three mornings a week and that they will only appear when there is an “announcement” or new government policy to cover. Normally, someone from the government appears on channels like Sky News everyday.

With these reports in mind, the journalist spoke with immigration minister Robert Jenrick on Good Morning Britain today and at the end of their conversation, questioned if it was "the last time" she was going to see Jenrick "for a while".

Jenrick said: "I hope not" and added "I've always enjoyed coming on the show". But he said Sunak wanted to ensure "ministers are fully accountable to the media but we come on generally speaking when the government has announcements or important questions to answer not just every day of the week".

Reid replied: "I'd like to register an official protest right now because I would like to see ministers on every day, I think if you are going to argue for full accountability reducing the number of interviews doesn't fulfill that remit.

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"I don't know if you can pass that back to the boss", she added.

Tories have enjoyed a difficult relationship with the media in recent years. Under Boris Johnson, ministers were frequently pulled from media appearances when the government was facing challenges on certain issues like the energy crisis and Partygate.

Johnson dodged a debate on climate change and famously hid in a fridge to get away from Piers Morgan, and his replacement Liz Truss was also criticised for cancelling an interview with the BBC.

But, if confirmed, this will be the first time the government has made ducking the media an official policy.

indy100 has contacted Downing Street to comment on this story.

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