WHEN an election is officially declared the civil and public services enter a period known as Purdah.
Until the day after polling day civil servants must be careful lest they give away any political views they may (or may not) hold nor release or approve any policies that may be seen to influence or back one party over another.
Equally the media must be seen to provide equal coverage to candidates…unless they are a really, really small party.
This, of course, leaves us in a quandary! We would like to tell you about this super, duper initiative, but we mustn’t. We would like to tell you about the machinations in Norn Iron’s political elite, but we mustn’t…
Suffice to say that until May 6 we salute the members of all parties great and small who toil to post fliers on each and every doorstep, who mount ladders to erect posters, and who prepare their candidates for grilling from that most rapacious presenter of prime time.
Until the day after polling day civil servants must be careful lest they give away any political views they may (or may not) hold nor release or approve any policies that may be seen to influence or back one party over another.
Equally the media must be seen to provide equal coverage to candidates…unless they are a really, really small party.
This, of course, leaves us in a quandary! We would like to tell you about this super, duper initiative, but we mustn’t. We would like to tell you about the machinations in Norn Iron’s political elite, but we mustn’t…
Suffice to say that until May 6 we salute the members of all parties great and small who toil to post fliers on each and every doorstep, who mount ladders to erect posters, and who prepare their candidates for grilling from that most rapacious presenter of prime time.
1 comment:
Not all media; only broadcasters. Newspapers are usually partisan.
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