I welcome the ruling by OFCOM – the independent television regulator – that the taxpayer-funded TIF adverts run on Granada television were biased and unsuitable for broadcast. The regulator has said that the adverts breached broadcasting rules on political advertising, which is forbidden outside of Party Political Broadcasts. The watchdog also expressed concerns about the GM Future Transport website which has featured prominently in all TIF advertising.
This ruling casts a worrying shadow over the entire referendum process. Over £3 million of taxpayers money has been spent on supposedly “neutral” advertising for the TIF bid, and now an independent watchdog has officially confirmed what we knew all along – that these were political adverts biased in favour of the TIF bid.
One can only hope that local residents across Greater Manchester decisively reject the Congestion Charge Tax in the referendum, despite the fact that £3 million of our money has been spent on biased propaganda by the Labour leadership. That advertising – and surprise surprise the “consultation period” adverts have not been removed from our stations and bus shelters – has poisoned what is supposed to be an open and democratic process. If there is a narrow “yes” vote then it will be as the result of a morally bankrupt process.
I have voted NO and I encourage you to do so as well.
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