Does purdah apply only to bad news?
Peter Hoskin 3:54pm
The report into the police shooting of Charles de Menezes is now two months overdue. As the Standard reports today, it’s being sat on because of “political sensitivities” surrounding the race for London Mayor – i.e. it could damage Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair and, by extension, his great supporter Ken Livingstone.
The Met claim this is fair practice – electoral “purdah” prevents public bodies from doing anything which could promote one candidate over another so close to election time. But that came into effect on 10 April. The obvious concern is that the Met had “political sensitivities” in mind before 10 April – and has kept the report back for months because of that. If that’s the case, then voters are being conned – and they should feel very angry indeed.
The timing of this couldn’t have been more ironic. Only yesterday, Jacqui Smith was accused of breaking purdah by announcing the introduction of 300 extra terror police – a measure which could give an unfair boost to Livingstone’s campaign. Does purdah only apply to bad news?
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Comments
Faceless Bureaucrat
April 17th, 2008 4:39pmYet more appalling manipulation of the Purdah rules for Ken's and NuLab's advantage following Jacqui Smith's blatant breaking of the same as mentioned in your piece. Boris should use these examples to show Londoners just what a shower Livingstone and his cronies really are. The memory of Charles de Menezes is surely worth more than to have this Report buried to save Livingstone's political hide - shame on you, Ian Blair, shame on you...
Oscar Miller
April 17th, 2008 4:42pmThe hypocrisy of this is staggering - yesterday Labour people were being wheeled out on the BBC to say that 'purdah' was now a bit old hat and irrelevant and the Tories were making a fuss about nothing. Now they use it as an excuse to bury bad news. And extremely relevant news for people voting in the mayoral elections. No wonder there's so much cynicism about politicians. This government now resorts to one manipulative, self-serving dishonest ploy after another to hang on to power. I only hope they get a good kick up the ballots on 1st May.
The Laughing Cavalier
April 17th, 2008 5:02pmWe should be up in arms at this latest outrage but the reality of it is that we are so accustomed to such contempt for democratic principles from our socialist masters that we just grin and say to each other "Well, what did you expect?"
john problem
April 17th, 2008 6:30pmThe folks in my street don't give a twopenny toss about 'terror police' unless it means less yobs about. Does every one of our benighted Cabinet members have not the least idea what the public they represent is concerned about? The time will soon come when we, the people, will have to call in the UN. At least, they won't all want new kitchens and bathrooms.
salieri
April 17th, 2008 6:47pmExactly. Conventions apply to these Gangsters only if they advance their own interests. Just like the systematic subversion of the Civil Service we have got used to in the last decade. But from a wider perspective it all helps the electorate glimpse the truth about those they voted in, doesn't it?
More abuse and corruption,then, please. The writing is on the wall for each of them: "thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting."
Frank Pulley
April 17th, 2008 9:18pm"The report into the police shooting of Charles de Menezes is now two months overdue."
I think that should read "two years overdue".
What makes you think it will ever be published? Or if it is that it will in way way discredit Blair or Livingstone?