| Summary: | The use of government resources to communicate with the public is a common source of controversy. In the 2016 referendum campaign on EU membership, the UK government was criticised by exit campaigners for the use of public resources to send a leaflet to every household promoting the benefits of remaining within the EU. While the government was content to promote its favoured view on that occasion, the UK government has also sought to clamp down on the inclusion of political content in newspaper-like publications by local authorities, nicknamed by critics as "Town Hall Pravdas." More broadly, when newspapers report on the amount of money spent on government communications, the activity is frequently dismissed as spin, propaganda or just waste. Communications are nonetheless an essential part of what government does. The public needs all kinds of information that is collected by public bodies or related to government activities. The question then arises why government publicity often attracts such controversy. This paper will set out a framework to provide an objection to certain government communications that is rooted in an understanding of the democratic procedures.
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