Facts

In reference to media “hounding” of BBC journalist Nick Watt at an anti-lockdown protest, Boris Johnson tweeted that “the media must be able to report the facts without fear or favour – they are the lifeblood of our democracy.”

It was under Johnson’s government in February 2020 that members of every major national news outlet left a Downing Street briefing in protest, as the government sought to pick and choose which journalists were able to attend briefings. 

Those banned from the briefing, in a move reminiscent of Donald Trump's administration which has tried to exclude journalists from critical organisations, included The Daily Mirror, The i, HuffPost UK and the Independent.

Verdict

As so often sentiments voiced by Johnson (and his ministers) were contradicted by the actions of his own government.