Press Release
Monday 20th September 2004

Immediate

Alleged 'illegal' actions by Government as North East electorate misled by 'information' leaflet. Referendum now in chaos.

The North East No Campaign has lodged an official complaint with the Audit Commission, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Electoral Commission over the blatantly biased and misleading 'Your Say' Government Information Leaflet. Click here to read the letters.

Preparations are now being made for a legal challenge to have the Leaflet withdrawn and the 'misleading statements' rectified to avoid the North East public voting in a referendum after being misinformed. We are awaiting responses from the Audit Commission, the Electoral Commission and the Office of Depty Prime Minister before embarking on the legal challenge.

However, the referendum would possibly have to be cancelled because, according to the Electoral Commission, we are now in the 'Purdah Period' where the Government cannot put further information into the public domain.

Douglas Stewart, Head of Referendums, confirmed, "the purdah period commences 28 days prior to the first ballot papers going out on the 18th October." The Electoral Commission confirmed this to be the case at a series of roadshows across the region. This conflicts with information being given by the ODPM and GONE who now state the purdah period begins on 7th October.

Neil Herron states,

"The North East public have been deliberately misled by this Government leaflet. It is not acceptable for the North East public to be making a decision which will affect future generations based on blatant misinformation.

"We cannot see how, in such circumstances, the referendum could proceed, but we hope that it does because we expect a loud, resounding 'NO' from people who have been treated in such a disgraceful, contemptuous manner."

Taking aside the blatant negative portrayal of those saying 'No' in the photographs we need to look at the following statements...

"They (the assembly members) would be elected - as in Scotland, Wales and London - by a system of proportional representation to help prevent domination by a single political party..."

However... The Draft Regional Assemblies Bill states,

"A number of members (constituency members) would be elected for constituencies on the traditional 'first past the post' method. The rest would be elected on a regionwide basis, as 'top-up members.'...it is expected that the constituency members would make up the majority."

This is a deliberate attempt to mislead, as is the following statement...

"The North East Regional Development Agency, for example, would answer not to Ministers or Whitehall but to the assembly."

However, the Draft Regional Assemblies Bill Policy Statement (Section 43) states,

"Central government would retain powers to ensure that assemblies and their RDA's continue to address national priorities. For example, the assembly would need to consult the Government on the draft regional economic strategy and on Board appointments."

And now it is also reported that Rt. Hon. Nick Raynsford has stated that the leaflet has factual errors about costs of local reorganisation and more information has to go out. Click here to read. This is not possible as we are now in the 'Purdah Period.'

Judith Wallace, Chairman of the North East No Campaign states,

"It is not possible for the Government to put any information into the public domain. They cannot possibly simply correct a mistake for Durham County residents when the issue is being decided by 1,900,000 North East residents. This whole affair is descending into an absolute shambles."

ENDS

Contact:

Neil Herron, North East No Campaign
Frederick Street
Sunderland
Tel. 0191 565 7143
Mob. 07776 202045
www.northeastnocampaign.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

The Electoral Commission did not have sight of the Government's 'Your Say' Leaflet until 3rd September when we handed them a copy at Trevelyan House. The ODPM had not even consulted them on its content.

The same team, North East Against Regional Assemblies, were successful with a complaint to the District Auditor last year which exposed that the unelected North East Assembly had been misusing public money in a similar way, and embarassed the North East Councils who had been funding the propaganda. Read the story here.