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No 10 press briefings plan axed as Stratton moves to Cop26 role

Proposals for White House-style televised presentations shelved as press secretary changes jobs
Plans for White House-style TV briefings in a new £2.6m Downing Street hub have been axed after the aide chosen to front them, Allegra Stratton, was moved to become Boris Johnson’s spokeswoman on the climate change summit Cop26.
Stratton, a former BBC and ITV journalist, was hired to be the face of government on a £125,000 salary last year.
The televised briefings were said to have been inspired by Donald Trump’s administration. They would have followed months of regular coronavirus press conferences in which Johnson, ministers and experts have had a platform to address the public directly.
But despite the hiring of Stratton, who previously worked for Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, the White House-style briefings were repeatedly delayed amid changes to Johnson’s inner circle.
Stratton’s new job will see her work more closely with Alok Sharma, the president of Cop26, a crucial summit in Glasgow next November, which Johnson is keen to use to burnish his green credentials.
Plans for the TV press briefings were devised by the former No 10 head of communications, Lee Cain, who quit last November alongside his ally Dominic Cummings. Cain was succeeded by James Slack, who only lasted a few months in the role before himself being succeeded by Jack Doyle, a former Daily Mail associate editor for politics.
As the coronavirus pandemic wore on and the hoped-for return to normality failed to materialise, the briefings were repeatedly pushed back. They were then earmarked to begin after the local elections in May, but it emerged on Tuesday evening that the decision had been taken to drop the idea completely.
A No 10 source said the coronavirus briefings, which used to take place daily and are now going ahead less frequently, had proved there was public appetite for ministers as well as scientific advisers and officials to take the lead on press conferences.
They added that Cop26 is a “very important priority for the government”, with Stratton chosen given her experience over the past six months fielding political questions in daily lobby briefings for journalists, virtually and off-camera.
But they acknowledged that the decision to make the televised press conferences a regular fixture could be a tricky path to navigate for broadcasters, should they become less about urgent Covid updates and move on to general government business.
Another No 10 insider said the move to scrap the TV briefings with journalists was “inevitable” and that the can had been “kicked down the road for so long” that there was now a lack of appetite for the idea among some government figures.
It was revealed last month that the government had spent more than £2.6m renovating the space in No 9 Downing Street – a move that sparked anger from Labour as it came at the same time as NHS staff were recommended a 1% pay rise.
The new space saw a stage erected, with podiums and union flags, as well as a screen to display slides, and audio-visual equipment including cameras and microphones to professionalise the press conferences.
The Cabinet Office said that the amount reflects that No 9 is a Grade I-listed building, and added: “This will necessarily require one-off capital works, including audio-visual equipment, internet infrastructure, electrical works and lighting.
“This spending is in the public interest as the new broadcasting of lobby briefings will increase public accountability and transparency about the work of this government now and in the future.” A Tory MP at the time called the whole thing a “waste of cash” and “far too American”.
The spending raised tempers even further given another revelation last month that Downing Street was trying to set up a charity that could cover the costs of the refurbishment of Johnson’s flat, which he shares with his fiancee, Carrie Symonds.
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said: “Boris Johnson is clearly running scared of scrutiny and questions about Tory sleaze and dodgy lobbying. Instead of wasting millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on a pointless vanity project the prime minister should have used the money to give our NHS heroes a pay rise.”
source: Aubrey Allegretti
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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