Can someone explain Purdah to me. I understand that the council should not make any new announcements during this period that might be contrued as having a political slant, but surely it doesn't normally involve newspapers. During General Elections, the national press talk of little else so what obligation is there on a local newspaper to impose a vitual news blackout on council business?
That is also my understanding of Purdah. A look at the link below provides an in-depth description of Purdah and the rules governing its use.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purdah_(pre-election_period)
Purdah rules are there to ensure neutrality from council and government administrators. They are not meant to be a restriction on the expression of political views or campaigns.
It stands to reason that during an election the records and conduct of politicians would come under scrutiny by other politicians and members of the voting public. This would inevitably involve both negative and positive comment and debate.
However when you have a local paper which is so effectively influenced solely by one political partly It does provides a cowards excuse for being selective with what it chooses to publish.
If Purdah means the Mail doesn't print anything controversial then what's new? All it means is that Jim Allen gets to go on about wind turbines ad infinitum.
So much for Purdah - this is little short of a Party Political Broadcast. Another picture, a swipe at the coalition (which I don't think is actually true) and a message of how the three hardworking Councillors have campaigned to get the play area finished.
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/lifestyle/play-area-work-nearing-completion-1-4419061 (http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/lifestyle/play-area-work-nearing-completion-1-4419061)
Another piece of blatant campaigning cortesy of The Mail. Is Joy Yates actually standing for Labour this time around?
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/call-for-pm-to-visit-town-1-4419065 (http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/call-for-pm-to-visit-town-1-4419065)
She still wants to work there next week
Purdah is election law but Drummond is immune to prosecution.
Quote from: testicles on April 06, 2012, 12: PM
Purdah is election law but Drummond is immune to prosecution.
Actually according to Wikipedia Purdah is not election law.
"Purdah does not have actual legal force, rather is considered a 'self-denying ordinance', and has considerable moral authority; because of the lack of statute different local authorities adopt different standards as to the extent to which they observe the convention[6], and authorities are always mindful of the possibility of results and decisions being open to challenge in the event of a breach of purdah. When local elections are being held at the same time as a general election a higher standard is usually applied."
wikipedia....
Purdah appears to be something people use when it's useful and ignore when it is not.