Re: Fourteen-day rule

Posted by Bruce Kahl on May 16, 2003

In Reply to: Fourteen-day rule posted by Mei on May 16, 2003

: Hi,

: I am not quite sure about the meaning of the bracketed sentence. Please do me a favor.

:
: Given its responsibilities as a trustee in the national interests, BBC could not be seen to be expressing a partisan position, especially in matters of public policy (Indeed, anxieties expressed by members of the main political parties that the BBC could ultimately appropriate for itself the status of a forum for national debate to match that of Parliament led, in turn, to the implementation of the 'fourteen-day rule' beginning on 10 February 1944.)

:
: Thanks a lot.

"The "Fourteen Day Rule" started during the Second World War as an emergency measure prohibiting broadcast debate of any matter to be debated in Parliament in the following fortnight. As Parliamentary business was only fixed for one week, this rule effectively stopped any topical discussion.

• 14 Day Rule