Comments on: Time to start thinking about the next election http://publicstrategist.com/2010/05/time-to-start-thinking-about-the-next-election/ Working to make government work better Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:35:28 +0000 hourly 1 By: A footnote to purdah | Public Strategist http://publicstrategist.com/2010/05/time-to-start-thinking-about-the-next-election/comment-page-1/#comment-2990 A footnote to purdah | Public Strategist Fri, 07 May 2010 18:29:43 +0000 http://publicstrategist.com/?p=1400#comment-2990 [...] I wrote yesterday about whether the idea of civil servants staying silent would remain viable in future election campaigns. Patrick Butler has now reflected back that thought more elegantly than I managed: Purdah looks less workable now, when social media – Twitter, blogs, Facebook – is so universal. It is easy enough to silence the departmental tweets. But what about the individuals-who-also-happen-to-be-public-servants, who, in their private lives use social media to comment, discuss and argue (non-impartially) on the issues of the day, including politics. When, for example, are they tweeting in their capacity as civil servants and when as private individuals? (the same question might be asked of journalists). [...] [...] I wrote yesterday about whether the idea of civil servants staying silent would remain viable in future election campaigns. Patrick Butler has now reflected back that thought more elegantly than I managed: Purdah looks less workable now, when social media – Twitter, blogs, Facebook – is so universal. It is easy enough to silence the departmental tweets. But what about the individuals-who-also-happen-to-be-public-servants, who, in their private lives use social media to comment, discuss and argue (non-impartially) on the issues of the day, including politics. When, for example, are they tweeting in their capacity as civil servants and when as private individuals? (the same question might be asked of journalists). [...]

]]> By: William http://publicstrategist.com/2010/05/time-to-start-thinking-about-the-next-election/comment-page-1/#comment-2981 William Thu, 06 May 2010 15:44:43 +0000 http://publicstrategist.com/?p=1400#comment-2981 Ah yes. Various matters on which I'd like to break purdah with you :-) Ah yes. Various matters on which I’d like to break purdah with you :-)

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