Cancelling the White House style daily press conference would make a lot of sense from a government comms point of view.

They should want to dial down the tempo and tone of politics in the coming years, not dial it up. /1

They may have been a useful weapon during daily Brexit skirmishes, and the equivalent was certainly a useful information tool during Covid.

But everyone is tired of permanent war, and will be tired of having to care about government press conferences that control their lives /2

Aside from US, I saw in Canada how a daily PMQs forced ministers to spend all morning thinking more tactically, and the media reporting more trivially.

These briefings would be a mini-PMQs with similar effects - bringing more political game-playing and media unpredictability /3

A govt in a strong strategic position doesn't benefit from getting into daily fights - especially in first half of the electoral cycle.

And conservatives shouldn't want to create incentives for constant reactive actions (Texas’ biennial legislature being an extreme example). /4

Slowing the modern media cycle is far easier said than done of course, but putting a spox on the box does the opposite.

In contrast, centre-right govts in Aus & Canada tried to use their media grids to reduce the frequency/expectations of official announcements and reactions. /5

Was asked to turn this thread into an article if you want to read a longer version... https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/boris-is-right-to-scrap-the-televised-press-briefings