election funding: selective blogging

DPF wrote a post about a "dont vote Labour" sign saying how it breaks the Electoral Finance Act. It does. However Idiot Savant at No Right Turn responded that his post was deceitful, because such banners always broke the "long standing" law. But as DPF didn`t reveal this, I/S questioned his integrity.

But what Idiot Savant failed to point out himself was that the law is not "longstanding". The law has changed and because the law has changed, this billboard is only illegal one in every three years, whereas prior to the EFA it was illegal outside election periods as well. Furthermore if that billboard sign had been on a T-shirt, it is would also be illegal whereas prior to the Electoral Finance Act it wasn`t, even without a name and address.

THe Electoral Commission should check the Political Parties websites to see if they have approporate authorising statements. All but one do not.They too would be breaking the law. The Greens only put its one up yesterday. Mind you, lawmakers who then don`t comply with laws they pass - or current law for that matter - are pretty common in this country.