Culture Secretary Maria Miller is rather chirpy this morning that the government have won their case in the ECHR  against opening the door to the freedom for political parties to reach a wider broadcast audience:

“We welcome the fact that the European Court has upheld the UK’s blanket ban on political advertising.  Political adverts are – and have always been – banned on British TV and radio.  That ban has wide support and has helped sustain the balance of views which is at the heart of British broadcasting – and ensures the political views broadcast into our homes are not determined by those with the deepest pockets.”

Pity.

UPDATE: PA has more:

“An animal rights group has narrowly lost a bid to open up paid political advertising in the UK. Human rights judges in Strasbourg ruled in a 9-8 test case verdict that Government refusal to allow Animal Defenders International to screen a TV advert promoting animal rights was not a breach of ADI’s freedom of expression.”

It was close…