Council relents on attempt to prevent showing of trade union’s NHS video

The trade union Unison was planning to come to Hull next Tuesday as part of a tour also taking in Leeds, York and Sheffield.

However Hull Council refused permission using rules known as purdah usually enforced to prevent party political activity in the run-up to a General Election.

The DVD Our NHS Our Future was to be shown to the public in a small marquee on a 52 inch portable plasma screen.

UNISON Regional Organiser Ray Gray said: “It’s an incredible lame excuse with no real foundation and masks an attempt to stop the public from finding out the truth about what the government is doing to the NHS.

“This is a local election and to try and use purdah as a reason for stopping the showing of the DVD is an abuse of the system. It doesn’t apply in any of the other cities that we are going to and it shouldn’t apply in Hull.

“Every year Hull Council runs the Freedom festival celebrating the life of William Wilberforce yet now the same group of politicians are stopping health service workers from telling the truth about the NHS.”

However yesterday afternoon the council said it had reconsidered.

Sue De Val, head of Legal and Democratic Services, said: “The matter has been looked at again. The rules governing publicity in the pre-election period are complex.

“Having reviewed this matter the council considers it would be within the rules to allow Unison to proceed with this booking.”