Why is Boris Johnson planning White House-style televised daily briefings?

Is this a move by the prime minister to appear more presidential? Or could it be a clever way to engage directly with the public? John Rentoul explains

(AFP)

Boris Johnson’s government is going to overhaul the way it communicates with journalists and the public by launching a daily televised briefing in No 10 in October, in which a spokesperson for the prime minister will make announcements and answer journalists’ questions. What does this mean in practice and why is he doing it?

Is this going to be like the daily coronavirus briefing?

Not really, because it won’t be a minister and expert advisers who field the questions. These will be briefings given by a new spokesperson for the prime minister, who has not yet been recruited. Downing Street sources say that they are looking for an experienced broadcaster to take the role. Whoever it is will instantly become more famous than most cabinet ministers.