The legal firm Wragge & Co have put together a useful guide:
‘Purdah’ is a political convention, which formally applies to government ministers and civil servants in central government during the period immediately before a general election.
During a period of purdah, ministers and civil servants will refrain from taking decisions or making policy announcements which are significant and may be politically contentious.
But what does that mean in practice? Go and read the guide to find out. Short version: the laws and rules aren’t that clear. If in doubt ask a lawyer. Surprising that from a law firm 🙂
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One Comment
I went to a full Council meeting last night. The question I submitted in the public question time was refused by the Borough Solicitor and despite me and my wife having press cards we were denied being allowed to sit at the press table in the Council chamber because I am a candidate and she is an agent!
This seemed ridiculous when about twenty of the councillors in the council chamber were also candidates too! However we were told that purdah meant they couldn’t allow us to sit at the press table and we had to go to the public gallery instead! Does it just apply to communications/publicity or to any politically contentious decisions?
We were told it was because councillors might complain about journalists (who are also candidate and agent) sitting at the press table.
After an hour sitting scrunched up in a row of seats that was too small for me, I left the meeting early in disgust and went to do some door to door canvassing instead! Were they right to make it difficult for the press to report a meeting and have access to councillors regarding quotes because one was a candidate and one was an agent!
The Mayoress gets to sit down there, so do the council officers (eg head of departments); neither of these are elected; neither are the political assistant, democratic services manager etc…
However when it came to insisting that the candidate and agent attend 2 hour long interviews at the Town Hall during the election period over a standards complaint they made about a councillor in January; they basically said purdah didn’t apply! *sighs*
One Trackback
[…] The flow diagram which shows you who to vote for (22) by Stephen Tall 2. Election purdah period: what can and can’t be done? (1) by Mark Pack 3. The ‘Digital Economy Bill Saints’: the MPs who voted against Labour’s internet freedom […]