Downing Street boycotts Sky News over ‘gotcha’ interview

DOWNING Street is locked in a row with Sky News over a cost of living “gotcha” interview with a minister who said people who are struggling to pay bills should take on more hours at work.

No 10 refused to allow government ministers to be interviewed on Sky News’s morning programmes on Thursday and yesterday, after claiming Kay Burley, a presenter, treated Rachel Maclean unfairly on Monday.

Ms Maclean, the minister for safeguarding, was widely criticised after she said that the Government should “make sure that people are able to protect themselves better, whether that is by taking on more hours or moving to a better-paid job”.

She added: “It may be right for some people, they may be able to access additional hours, but, of course, it is not going to work for people who are already in three jobs.”

Ms Burley then presented the comments to one voter in Wigan, who said the minister “needs to get in the real world”. The comments were also put to Brandon Lewis and Liz Truss, who appeared for interviews on Sky News on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Downing Street feels Ms Burley did not make it clear enough that the minister was referring to a “long-term” strategy rather than practical advice for struggling families.

“She quite clearly gave a forwardlooking, long-term solution, and then Kay Burley packaged it up and started throwing it to members of the public in Wigan as if it was a short-term solution, which was naughty,” a Government source said. “We gave her Brandon Lewis the next day, and she’s still going for Rachel through Brandon. We gave her Liz Truss, and she’s still going for Rachel through Liz.”

The Daily Telegraph understands Downing Street is now deciding whether to send a minister on to the programme on a “case-by-case basis”, rather than automatically allowing Sky access to the daily “broadcast round”.

No 10 stressed that the Government has an “accessible and open-minded approach”, offers senior ministers to the BBC’S Newsnight programme and has provided guests for a new programme on Sky News.

The boycott of Sky News is not the first Downing Street retribution for unfavourable reporting. No 10 previously denied access to the Today programme and ITV’S Good Morning Britain over complaints about overaggressive questioning.

Sky News was contacted for comment.