BBC presenter Johnson’s favourite for spokesman role
A BBC London presenter is Boris Johnson’s top choice to represent the Government at new televised press briefings, it has emerged.
Riz Lateef, who presents the news on BBC London and interviewed the Prime Minister in his previous role as Mayor of London, was Mr Johnson’s first preference for the role of Government spokesman, The Sunday Times reports. But while Ms Lateef, who has worked at BBC London for 16 years, is thought to have been “flattered” to be considered, she has declined the role.
The Government is offering at least £100,000 to the new spokesman, who will speak for the Prime Minister on television in a similar briefing to the White House’s daily press conference.
Lobby briefings, as they are known in Westminster, currently take place behind closed doors, but reforms to the system will see one of the two daily conferences broadcast.
The Sunday Times reported that Mr Johnson described Ms Lateef as “fair” and a “straight shooter” and asked members of his team to make contact with her to sound her out for the role.
The presenter has been named one of the 1,000 most influential people in London and was the winner of the media category at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in 2009 for her coverage of Boris Johnson’s mayoral campaign.
Since the announcement that the briefings will be fronted by a new hire, Allegra Stratton, the former news reporter and Treasury adviser, has been considered the front runner. Ms Stratton, who previously worked for ITV, the BBC and The Guardian, is Rishi Sunak’s
chief spin doctor and is trusted by the Chancellor with his public image.
The Sunday Times reported that So- phy Ridge, the Sky News presenter, was also approached but declined it. Applications for the job on the Conservative Party website closed on August 21.
Mr Johnson’s approach to Ms Lateef follows a long history of former reporters being brought into the Government to manage its media strategy. Alastair Campbell and Sir Robbie Gibb, both former journalists, were hired to manage No10’s media operations for Tony Blair and Theresa May respectively.