Pre-election periods, what do press officers need to know?

In pre-election periods (often referred to as purdah) the Cabinet Office puts restrictions on the activities of civil servants. During recent elections there has been some confusion and debate about whether it applies to government-funded research, leading to clarifications in the guidance on pre-election periods published by the Cabinet Office that make clear that the restrictions were never intended to apply to academic researchers.

Many press officers groan when they hear the word 'purdah', with horror stories to tell. But should they?

Come along to this Stempra event for a Q&A with a panel including representatives from research funders, arms-length bodies and universities to discuss issues such as:

• What is the purpose of restrictions during the pre-election period?
• Who should be affected by restrictions, and who shouldn't?
• What kind of stories or media enquiries are affected?
• Are there any grey areas?
• What are the clarifications to the guidelines, and how do they change things?

Speakers to include:

Carmel Turner, Chief Press Officer, Medical Research Council

Linda Capper, Head of Communications, British Antarctic Survey

Pete Castle, Research Communications Manager, University of Reading

Chair: Robin Bisson, Senior Press Officer, IoPPN, King's College London

To register for a free place, sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pre-election-periods-what-do-press-officers-need-to-know-tickets-62048795618