Local Election Impartiality

[Elvisbarney]

The leader of the local council where I live spends an inordinate amount of time talking about Climate Change. He even has a weekly column in the local rag, complete with smiling mugshot, and relentlessly bombards the reader with his latest take on why we need to do our bit etc. He rarely if ever responds to any challenge by readers.
I am concerned that his “free-ride” gets free publicity for his party which likes to boast of its “green” credentials, clearly a factor in the forthcoming local elections.
My question is: “ Is he required by law to cease his weekly column for the duration of the election and, if so, who has the responsibility to enforce this, the councillor the newspaper editor, or both?
I have referred to sections 2 and 4 of the Local Government Act 1986, as amended 1988, which to me seems to strongly indicate through its Code of Practice that said candidate leader should cease writing forthwith.
Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

[UncleEbenezer]

Hold the front page: Politician campaigns for things he believes in!

I'm struggling to see what's supposed to be wrong. Even if he writes a pack of total lies (making him Prime Ministerial material), that would be a matter for Due Process.

[Elvisbarney]

Thanks Ebeneezer for the reply.
The problem I foresee is not one of the council leader’s content, but the fact that he has a free media platform (with no competition or editorial balance) to spout his views each week.
This cannot be an equitable situation on the run-up to free and fair local elections.
Using your logic, would the reaction be the same if a Tommy Robinson-type figure was allowed column-inches to provide his views simply because he believes he is telling the truth?

[bluedonkey]

In my area, we get a monthly publication through the door from the local council. It tells us what they are doing and the leader gets to give his spiel. All sounds like the norm, so your council is doing what they all do.

[Elvisbarney]

That doesn’t answer my query. Just because they do it, doesn’t make it right, and I am asking specifically in relation to the purdah period on the run-up to an election.
As any political party is not legally permitted to canvas door-to-door or hold public meetings etc,( shades of North Korea, anyone?) then why should a candidate who just happens to be the leader of the council and has the ear of the newspaper editor, be allowed to carry on with his free weekly soap-box?

[pochisoldi]

Thanks Ebeneezer for the reply.
The problem I foresee is not one of the council leader’s content, but the fact that he has a free media platform (with no competition or editorial balance) to spout his views each week.
This cannot be an equitable situation on the run-up to free and fair local elections.
Using your logic, would the reaction be the same if a Tommy Robinson-type figure was allowed column-inches to provide his views simply because he believes he is telling the truth?

As I understand it there is no obligation on the press to provide for political balance at any time.

Or put another way, at no point (as far as I know) did the Daily Mail commission a column written by Jeremy Corbyn, Eric Heffer or Michael Foot.
- Derek Hatton may have written the odd article for their Property section though.