Keir Starmer Spends £80,000 on Briefing Room

Sir Keir Starmer has allocated nearly £80,000 to refurbish the Downing Street media briefing room, removing the Conservative Party's blue decor in favor of a more politically neutral aesthetic. Originally established under Boris Johnson's government with a cost of over £2.6 million for its fittings, the room was intended for daily televised press conferences that never materialized. The refurbishment comes six months after Labour's election victory and aims to eliminate the previous administration's branding, reflecting Labour's preference for red. Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, criticized the initial spending as a 'vanity project,' contrasting it with the proposed pay rise for NHS nurses. The media room gained notoriety following a leaked video of staff discussing Christmas parties amid Covid restrictions. Starmer's changes are seen as part of a broader effort to reshape the government's public image post-Conservative rule.