Volunteers have launched a website which aims to increase the number of people privy to press conferences held for journalists at Downing Street. You too can now be a member of the Lobby ...


THEY take place twice a day every day and are available for public viewing on the net but the chances are not many people know about them.

A small group of journalists, known as the Lobby, get to ask the Prime Minister's official spokesmen questions on the big issues of the day.

Minutes are taken of these briefings and they are published every day on the Government's website, www.number-10.gov.uk The main reason why most people do not know about these briefings being available on the internet is because it is quite difficult to access the information. It is also not easy to leave feedback on the issues raised.

In a bid to cut through the spin both the Government's when information is released and the media's when information is reported and to make the press briefings more accessible, a group of volunteers have set up the Downing Street Says site so people can see for themselves exactly what is said at these meetings.

The site at www.downingstreetsays.org reproduces the summary of the briefings every day and provides a forum for people to leave their comments.

It is a fine example of how the power of the internet can be harnessed in a positive way.

The site takes information which the public should be aware of and makes it available in a user-friendly way. It is also an interactive service which allows users to respond to what they read about and discuss major issues among themselves.

This sharing of information was what the internet was intended for and what it is best at.