General election 2024: what is purdah and when does it start?
With just 48 hours until the polls open for the 2024 general election, it is full steam ahead for the main political party leaders.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will campaign in the south-east of England today (Tuesday, July 2), arguing the election outcome is not a “foregone conclusion”. On a visit to Oxfordshire he is expected to say: “If just 130,000 people switch their vote and lend us their support, we can deny [Labour leader Sir Keir] Starmer that supermajority.”
Meanwhile, Mr Starmer will spend one of the final days on the campaign trail making multiple visits across England.
He is set to emphasise that change will only happen if people vote for it.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will campaign in the south-west of England, calling for the next Parliament to support a Clean Water Bill.
In Scotland, First Minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader John Swinney will visit a distillery as he calls on his country to reject possible Westminster austerity cuts from the next government.
So with the final days of the pre-election period called purdah upon us, what does this mean and when did it start?
What is purdah?
Ministers, civil servants, and local authorities must exercise caution in making announcements or decisions that might affect the election campaign. This is known as purdah (the pre-election period).
Purdah describes the period between the time an election is announced and the date the election is held.
New government initiatives that could favour any candidates or parties in the upcoming election must not be announced until afterwards.
Ministers must observe discretion in announcing new or long-term initiatives.
There have been several instances where purdah has been considered broken, though such breaches are often subject to interpretation and political contention. Some notable examples include:
2016 EU referendum: Accusations were made that the Government broke purdah rules by publishing materials related to the benefits of remaining in the EU close to the referendum date.
2019 general election: Concerns were raised when the Conservative government announced new funding for flood defences during the purdah period, which some argued could be a politically advantageous move.
2017 general election: During the campaign, there were allegations that a new counter-terrorism strategy announcement and the publication of economic data violated purdah guidelines.
Civil servants can campaign during purdah — provided public money and departmental resources are not used for party political purposes.
They have a code they must follow at all times, based on the civil service's core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality.
Local authorities are required to follow statutory guidance about publicity all year round. The Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity includes a list of rules they must follow, including not using public funds to mount publicity campaigns that seek to influence voters at any time of year.
Public resources, such as Government-funded advertising, are usually not allowed for partisan political purposes.
When does purdah start?
Purdah typically begins six weeks before the scheduled election day and lasts until the results are declared.
In 2024, it began on Thursday, May 30 after Parliament was dissolved. Parliament was suspended on May 24 after Mr Sunak called a general election for July 4.
Where does the word purdah originate from?
The word "purdah" originates from Persian and Urdu, where it means "curtain" or "veil".
In its original cultural context, purdah referred to the practice of secluding or veiling women from the sight of men who were not close relatives. It was often associated with practices aimed at maintaining modesty and privacy.
Over time, the term has been adopted in English and other languages to refer to various forms of segregation or isolation. This includes the period of political restraint before an election, as in the UK.
