Purdah starts in the United Kingdom on 30 March with the suspension of Parliament and lasts until at least the day after the general election on May 8th. However, it will stay in force until a new Government is formed which will probably take longer than in 2010.
I was on secondment in the civil service during European Parliamentary elections and I remember even then that the rules during purdah were strict. The rules certainly cover blogging and I am going to have to study them in detail.
At first sight I think this blog will be able to continue during purdah provided I refrain from anything that could be construed as a comment on the general or, possibly, even the local elections (this latter point is one I have to clarify). Thus, for example, I could comment on Rick Everitt in relation to CAS Trust, but not mention that he will be standing in the Labour interest for Thanet District Council.
If I do have to suspend the blog, I will give good notice, but I am hopeful that I will not have to do that.
On top of the election, we have the senior level of the Academy of a top Premiership side coming down for an overnight stay and a whole day at the end of April. Among other things their u18s will be playing our first team which looks like the slaughter of the innocents.
This morning we had precise instructions about how the pitches should be watered. The groundsman is going to go crazy. I almost felt like telling the club from 'oop North that they were good enough for Charlton to train and practice on when they had away fixtures in the Midlands in the Premiership days, but I didn't think this would go down well with a much bigger team that play in red.
I had to take my car into Stratford this morning and coming back on the bus I passed Stratford Town's Anne Hathaway Stadium, so generously funded by Stratford Town Council. The blue and yellow seats were sparkling in the sun, but what really caught my eye were the all-weather training pitches that caught my eye. Perhaps we should have hired them. I still savour the inventive chant that Leamington started when beating the Bardsmen 2-0, 'Two-nil or not two-nil'?
3 comments:
A long time excile across the Channel in Paris with no rigts to voting in the UK and not many in France as I'm not French (I can vote in European and French local elections ONLY. I was just wondering who's standing for the Reds.
AlanFromParis
Iss Matthew Pennycook Al but e aint been a councillor for long n is likely to get in n represent our gaff. At least we aint got dire of dymchurch standin ere n the exenophobes n isolationists aint got no chance rahnd ere thank gawd.
Wyn - you have reminded me of the camping store in Aberdeen that once advertised "now is the discount on our winter tents."
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