How to survive the morning broadcast round

Politicians of all stripes will tell you that the slog of breakfast time interviews constitutes the morning ritual from hell.

So this week on Westminster Insider, host Patrick Baker speaks to those who’ve spent more time than anyone trying to master the art form that is the “morning round” — and is given an exclusive broadcasting lesson from Scarlett MccGwire, a media trainer currently working with ministers in the Labour government to help them hone their messaging.

Former Tory Cabinet minister Grant Shapps explains the late night prep with his team, who were told to be as rude to him as possible in anticipation of tough interviews with Kay Burley et al.

The inimitable Richard Madeley, presenter of Good Morning Britain, voices his hatred of the so-called “pivot”, a tactic used by politicians to evade questions they don’t want to answer, and recalls throwing a defence secretary off the airwaves after one pivot too many.

Former Labour shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth describes how to overcome questions like “how much is the price of a pint of milk?” and the fear induced by sudden breaking news while on the round.

And Jack Sellers, former No. 10 deputy press secretary under Rishi Sunak, remembers the cabinet ministers who slept in, forgot the geography of the Middle East and how, when it all went wrong on air, it was left to him to try to clean it all up.

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