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Government ministers will once again submit to Piers Morgan interviews after Downing Street lifted a months-long boycott of ITV’s Good Morning Britain breakfast show.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock will appear on the show Monday, in the first appearance by a member of the government on the show since April.
The symbolic move could indicate a new attitude toward the media in Downing Street following the departure of Boris Johnson’s communications chief Lee Cain and senior adviser Dominic Cummings, who were happy to start fights with media they didn’t like.
Last December they imposed a boycott of Radio 4’s Today program, which lasted until the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, as part of a series of attacks on the BBC. Other shows that have received coldness from the Johnson administration include Channel 4 News and BBC Two’s Newsnight, often accompanied by anonymous reports that the shows were biased against the government and therefore not worth participating in.
The Good Morning Britain boycott began shortly after the imposition of the first nationwide shutdown, amid on-air scathing criticism from Morgan about the government’s handling of the pandemic.
On Sunday, Morgan said the government had finally relented and would provide ministers for on-air questioning. He tweeted: “BREAKING: I just got a call from Downing Street. The 201-day government boycott of GMB is over and Health Secretary Matt Hancock will appear on the show tomorrow morning. “
Last week, the show managed to briefly introduce Hancock after one of its reporters ran to the health secretary as he finished an interview with a rival channel outside the BBC headquarters.
The reporter, Nick Dixon, asked Hancock live why the ministers boycotted the show. “When are you coming to talk to Piers and Susannah?” I ask. “Oh, I’ll go as soon as I can,” Hancock replied.
Dixon offered to clear the schedule. “We have time for you tomorrow, we will make a special space for you tomorrow, order of execution completely cleared just for you.”
Hancock said, “You are very kind. Unfortunately, I have something in my diary tomorrow morning and I have a lot of work to do to implement this vaccine, thank you very much. “
Ministers have continued to appear on most other major shows during the pandemic, though the focus is likely to shift to the new daily televised press conferences hosted by press secretary Allegra Stratton that will kick off the new year.
