Yahoo News Minister Nadhim Zahawi denies colleagues are leaking coronavirus measures to press
A minister today denied that any of his colleagues were leaking information on proposed Government coronavirus measures to the press.
Business minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “I can promise you that this minister – or no minister - would actually instruct any member of staff to go out and actually brief this stuff out.”
It comes after a series of stories were leaked to the media this week on potential new lockdown measures for the north as well as shutting down pubs and restaurants within days.
Mr Zahawi told Sky News: “These leaks are completely counterproductive. Whoever is leaking this stuff is doing a disservice to the service by speculation and leaks. I think that’s wrong.
“I think the right thing to do is wait for the decisions that the Government will always attempt to make sure that we do in a coordinated way with the coordinated teams.”
Like many, I’m nervously waiting tomorrow’s front pages (from @hendopolis ) to see what’s coming next for my city. Not a good process, eh.
— Lucy Powell MP (@LucyMPowell)
Asked if the briefing had ministerial oversight, he replied: “I can promise you that this minister – or no minister - would actually instruct any member of staff to go out and actually brief this stuff out.
“These are terrible leaks.
“This is really bad that people are leaking this stuff. I hope that whoever is doing this will stop because actually it’s counterproductive, it’s confusing and it’s corrosive.”
Labour mayors of northern cities have complained about the details of new lockdown restrictions being broken on journalists’ Twitter feeds as well as a lack of consultation.
Shadow business minister and Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell tweeted last night: “Like many, I’m nervously waiting tomorrow’s front pages to see what’s coming next for my city. Not a good process, eh.”
On Thursday, shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said leaks were “disrespectful to millions”.
The House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle last month lost his temper with the Government over leaks to journalists during the pandemic.
He accused ministers of a “total disregard” for the House of Commons and threatened to run Mr Hancock "ragged" for not telling the Commons about the rules banning social gatherings of more than six people .
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