Public will get to ask a question at Government’s daily press conference

People are asked to submit questions online and one will be picked at random by an independent polling company each day.

From today, a member of the public will join journalists in challenging the Government over its handling of coronavirus at the daily Downing Street press conference.

People are able to submit questions online and each day, one will be chosen by an independent polling company, a statement on the Gov.uk website said.

The question author will be contacted before 3pm each day and will either be asked to submit a video of themself asking the question, or opt to have it asked for them.

It gives members of the public the opportunity to question ministers leading the daily conferences on behalf of the Government, as well as the Government’s scientific and medical advisers.

‘The Government is not involved in choosing questions,’ the Government’s statement said. It also promised that ministers will not see the question before the press conference begins.

Submitted questions will be reviewed at midday on the day of the press conference, the statement added.

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To find out how to submit questions, visit http://www.gov.uk/ask. The selected questioner will be informed by 3pm, two hours ahead of the usual press conference time.

If they choose to film themselves asking the question, that footage will be played during the press conference. Otherwise the question will be read out alongside those posed by UK journalists.

Anyone over 18 can submit their question for consideration.

It is all part of a plan outlined by the Prime Minister this morning to be more open with the public on the Government’s plan for tackling coronavirus going forward.

Boris Johnson, speaking during his first day back at work after beating Covid-19, said the fight against the disease is now at the point of ‘maximum risk’.

He said the UK is ‘coming now to the end of the first phase of this conflict’ as he prepares to refine the ‘economic and social restrictions’ while ensuring the disease does not rapidly spread.

‘We simply cannot spell out now how fast or slow or even when those changes will be made, though clearly the Government will be saying much more about this in the coming days,’ he said.

‘And I want to serve notice now that these decisions will be taken with the maximum possible transparency. I want to share all our working and our thinking, my thinking, with you, the British people.’

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