The intervention of Constitution and Devolution Minister Chloe Smith in January, about the local elections and the issues of campaigning and delivering of leaflets, was a major concern to me and one that made no sense at all.
It performed the interesting trick of both ruling the local elections can go ahead – but at the same time restricting the ability of potential candidates to campaign, with the advice that volunteer deliverers should not deliver leaflets.
This is something a banana republic would be proud of.
“Government advice was incredibly muddled”
The government advice was incredibly muddled, as it allowed political parties to pay private firms to deliver leaflets but did not let volunteers do so.
This week alone, I have received three takeaway leaflets, an estate agent leaflet, as well as flyers about car and carpet cleaning. It’s a joke and an affront to democracy!
Despite pleas by me and others, the Government has yet to publish the research that shows that delivering leaflets voluntarily carries a higher risk than those delivered commercially.
So we were delighted to hear, as first was going to press, that the Cabinet Office has published new guidance allowing campaigners to deliver leaflets and canvass electors from 8 March, subject to strict covid-safety procedures including social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing.
I am pleased the Liberal Democrats have already provided advice to councillors and their volunteers allowing them to keep in touch with the residents they serve (get delivering!).
And in other good news, our lobbying to reduce the number of signatures we need for candidates to be nominated has been successful, with statutory instruments laid by the minister.