UK: Neill Committee presentation

On 7 May the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) appeared before the Committee on Standards in Public Life (the Neill Committee) to emphasise the importance of the self-regulatory nature of the advertising and marketing communications industries. Speaking on behalf of the CAP were Andrew Brown, director-general of the Advertising Association; and David Clayton-Smith, CAP chairman. The CAP’s presentation concerned advertising on behalf of political parties, which have always been exempt from the requirement of the advertising codes that “advertisements are truthful and that advertisers hold documentary evidence to prove their claims.” Nor is political advertising subject to the codes’ requirements of fair comparison and the prohibition of the denigration of competitors. But party political advertising in the UK is expected to comply with other rules on the protection of privacy taste and decency and social responsibility. The CAP’s conclusion is that the system which manages and enforces the code is inappropriate for party political advertising; it recommends that party political advertising be excluded from the advertising industry’s self-regulatory system. But it suggested to the Neill Committee that a new code of practice be elaborated for such advertising. Until such a new code is drawn up, the CAP recommended to the Committee that the status quo be enforced. So far the Labour Party has signalled its willingness to abide fully by the existing Code, while the Conservative Party has refused on the ground that such a move would produce only the most bland advertising. It has also rejected the CAP’s suggestion of the creation of a new, separate code for political advertising.