▁leave ▁without ▁a ▁deal " ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁refer endum . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁election , ▁G ove ▁nominated ▁the ▁Labour ▁MP ▁Chris ▁Bry ant ▁to ▁replace ▁John ▁Ber cow . ▁ ▁G ove ▁helped ▁to ▁prepare ▁Johnson ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁general ▁election ▁deb ates ▁by ▁playing ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁the ▁Labour ▁leader ▁Jer emy ▁Cor b yn . ▁He ▁offered ▁to ▁stand ▁in ▁for ▁Johnson ▁during ▁a ▁Channel ▁ 4 ▁debate ▁on ▁environmental ▁issues ▁but ▁the ▁editor ▁of ▁Channel ▁ 4 ▁News ▁said ▁the ▁debate ▁was ▁only ▁open ▁to ▁party ▁leaders . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁G ove ▁took ▁on ▁additional ▁respons ib ilities ▁as ▁the ▁Minister ▁for ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁Office , ▁succeed ing ▁Oliver ▁Dow den , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁appointed ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Digital , ▁Culture , ▁Media ▁and ▁Sport . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁coron av irus ▁pan demic ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁G ove ▁generated ▁confusion ▁after ▁saying ▁on ▁I TV ' s ▁Good ▁Mor ning ▁Britain ▁that ▁children ▁with ▁separated ▁parents ▁were ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁move ▁between ▁their ▁parents ' ▁homes . ▁He ▁later ▁apolog ised ▁and ▁clar ified ▁that ▁what ▁he ▁said ▁was ▁not ▁the ▁case . ▁When ▁Bor is ▁Johnson ▁was ▁self - is ol ating ▁after ▁having ▁been ▁tested ▁positive ▁for ▁COVID - 1 9 , ▁G ove ▁stood ▁in ▁for ▁Johnson ▁on ▁from ▁ 2 7