One of the major features of the EU referendum campaign is the suspicion on the part of Tory eurosceptics that their party in government is trying to screw them over. The latest theory centres around the dates when the postal votes are sent out and when the government is forced by official rules governing election campaigns to shut up.
The postal votes in the EU referendum are being sent out between 27 May and 3 June, and the official ‘purdah’ for the campaign also begins on 27 May. Given Leave campaigners are expecting a considerable bulk of the votes in this referendum to be cast by post, a number of Tory MPs are becoming rather agitated that the government is going to pump out a series of announcements and reports intended to influence the postal votes right before they go out. They see this as yet another example of sneaky behaviour on the part of the Remain campaign in which the powerful government machine is harnessed against the Leave campaigners.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in