Edinburgh Trams Counting on Fair Play

The count of votes in a single city centre ward got underway beneath the gilded ceiling and magnificent wood pannelling in City Chambers earlier today with candidates, agents, friends and supporters milling around the vote counters and officials inside the cordon.

As always the attention is focused on the result, and the effects and likely results of the unfolding drama.

However over this scene there was already a cloud in the shape of notification of a formal complaint about the leaking of a news story, and it's publication yesterday on the morning of the poll, in which more developments by the Council were presented under headlines like 'Full Steam ahead'!

There are rules regulating what can be said or printed in an election campaign by the media.

What the Sun CAN do is urge it's readers to do something like vote for it's chosen candidate by saying things like 'Would the last person in Britain switch out the light?' and stick Neil Kinnock's head inside a lightbulb graphic and urge people to vote Tory or for anyone but Kinnock.

What the SUN couldn't do is publish a story leaked from the 'high levels' in the British Civil Service that they felt if Neil Kinnock is elected then the last person leaving the country may as well switch out the lights.

One is partisanship which is made clear in a first person editorial and that's fine, the other is a story which may be partisanship but is disguised and unclear, and for that reason it isn't fine.

It's the same desire to separate an editorial view from a factual story, and to be fair to all candidates as far as that is possible, that means the Broadcast media, including the  BBC, must have quotes from all candidates on particular issues, or mention the fact that other candidates are standing in the election--and why General election coverage on broadcast tv (and the internet) begins when the polls have closed.

The Government's PR agency, the Central Office of Information closes down it's output of press releases and the like in General Election campaigns to avoid the danger that Government ministers may be tempted to issue an official looking press release that is in fact a party political announcement for their own party, with the 'Official Government ' imprint.

Having identified the tram project as the single issue, which until satisfactorily resolved has the power to affect all other political issues in the City, John Carson has been telling potential voters he is the best person to produce change by dint of his particular work and career experience.

It isn't unreasonable for him to feel potential voters would be deterred from voting for him by seeing headlines such as 'Full Steam ahead' and stories saying the tram was a done deal and nothing would be affecting that now  new consultants and funding had been found.

That the 'new funding' turns out to be 'The Council can borrow the money' is only revealed the day after the poll has closed, only increases the sense of alarm with which he, and  anyone else, with the health of the democratic process at heart should view this episode.

Has this leaked story come from someone at a high level in the council? Is it completely innocent? Are fears that such a story on the morning of the poll could affect unduly the intentions and resolve of voters justified?

Those are the questions to which the formal complaint will be the first step in finding answers.

 Much has been burned on the Bonfire of Vanities that this project has now turned into, the careers of managers tempted to run the project, some political careers already, the whole hapless tie 'arms-length' company, the future of the Lib-Dems as a party of consequence in Edinburgh, and more besides, with more to come if the project does proceed as envisaged in the leaked document. 

The integrity of the democratic process itself is one item too valuable to be carelessy tossed to the flames, so hopefully the Returning Officer Sue Bruce will begin her investigations into where this leak could have originated with urgency and vigour.