Mandatory Referrals are part of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s editorial management system. They are an essential part of the process to ensure compliance and must be observed.
Referrals to Editorial Policy
10.2.1 Where content would not normally include political issues, political opinion or politicians (for example, sport, quiz/panel shows, factual entertainment) content producers must consult the Chief Adviser Politics in advance before inviting a politician (or anyone who has taken a prominent political stance) to take part in their output, or before accepting a request to participate. This reference is irrespective of whether their contribution to the output is itself ‘political’. Where there is a proposal to involve in such output others who may have taken a prominent political stance, advice is available from Editorial Policy.
(See 10.3.2)
10.2.2 Chief Adviser Politics must be consulted in advance about proposed bids or offers of interviews (or other active participation) for the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition at Westminster, the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales and the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland. In the nations of the UK, the respective Heads of News must also be consulted.
(See 10.3.3)
10.2.3 Any proposal to amend material from the chambers of Parliaments or Assemblies (including Westminster) or any proposal to use material from the Parliaments or Assemblies at all outside news, factual programmes or content for educational purposes must be referred to the Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 10.3.7)
10.2.4 Any request for a ministerial broadcast or a reply to a ministerial broadcast must be referred promptly to Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 10.3.11)
10.2.5 Any approach by a government department to relay official messages or information films which involve a degree of public policy or political controversy must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 10.3.12)
10.2.6 Any proposal to commission an opinion poll (or use other methods, such as data analysis) with the intention of sampling party political support or voting intentions must be referred in advance to Chief Adviser Politics for approval.
(See 10.3.27)
10.2.7 Any proposal to commission an opinion poll on matters of public policy, political or industrial controversy, or on ‘controversial subjects’ in any other area, must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 10.3.28)
10.2.8 Any proposal to report voting intention derived through methods other than polling – such as data analysis – must be referred to the Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 10.3.30)
10.2.9 Any proposal to commission a Â鶹ԼÅÄ survey on matters of public policy, political or industrial controversy, or on ‘controversial subjects’ in any other area, must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 10.3.36)
10.2.10 Any proposal to conduct a vote on matters of public policy, political or industrial controversy, or on ‘controversial subjects’ in any other area, must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 10.3.46)
10.2.11 Any proposal to carry out a phone, text or online vote must also be referred to the Interactivity Technical Advice and Contracts Unit (ITACU) and the appropriate approval process must be completed.
(See 10.3.47)