News Analysis: Race against time by British politicians as day of reckoning looms

Like wise men bearing gifts, Britain's top politicians have been travelling far and wide across the kingdom, dishing out lucrative deals to towns, cities and regions.

It's a race against time ahead of this year's British general election. The election won't happen until May 7, but a big circle has been drawn around an earlier date in the diaries of every politician, March 30.

That is the day Queen Elizabeth is likely to use her constitutional power to dissolve parliament. Prime Minister David Cameron will keep the keys to 10 Downing Street, the Chancellor George Osborne will remain as his neighbor at Number 11, Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg will still be Deputy Prime Minister and all government ministers will remain in their jobs.

But on dissolution day a quirky period, known in politics as Purdah, swings into action. Parliament essentially goes into a state of animated suspension.

No new measures or announcements can be made during purdah until after election day, except for extreme emergencies.

As far as the government machine is concerned, politics will be put on hold. That explains why big-name politicians have been ducking and diving around the country promising what they will offer, if they are re-elected on May 7.

It's why Cameron was in Birmingham a few days ago offering a package worth over five billion pounds (about 7.4 billion U.S. dollars). And why senior government politicians continue on their whistle-stop tours, particularly in marginal constituencies which will be the real battlefields.

Deals have been offered in the North West, across Yorkshire and other parts of Britain in a political charm offensive.

Politicians, whether from the government side or the opposition benches are all playing the same game, with one target in mind, winning votes.

Caught up in the stranglehold of purdah will be broadcasters across Britain, national, regional and local television and radio stations and their on-line offshoots.

A game is played out where the rules forbid any broadcasting from showing any favouritism to a particular political party or individual candidate. Heavy penalties are available to broadcast regulators for any presenter or broadcast program straying across the rules imposed by purdah.

The purdah rule does not apply to newspapers, free to comment at will, though increasing numbers of publications have started to play by the rules of purdah, imposing their own voluntary rules.

And although it may seem like a pre-election "gentleman's agreement" there is a serious side. Decisions taken during the purdah period can be challenged in the law courts, and even reversed if judges find there was a political advantage.

Former Labor cabinet member, retired MP and commentator Peter Kilfoyle had to grapple with the impact of purdah during his time in the cabinet office.

Kilfoyle told Xinhua: "Essentially this period is imposed to protect the 400,000 civil servants from being compromised. In Britain the permanent civil service serves whichever party is in power, without fear or favor."

"It means that government officials are forbidden from making announcements or issuing press releases about proposals and government schemes," said Kilfoyle.

"I have been a member of the Labor Party for more than 50 years and I have never known a pre-election period like 2015 where so many 'goody bags' are being offered to the public. Let's face it, they are time-honored political bribes to win votes. All of the parties do this, but this year it has gone completely over the top," continued Kilfoyle.

"Purdah will prevent any last minute rabbits being pulled from the hat by politicians," added Kilfoyle.

The very word purdah is an old Persian word, meaning curtain or veil to prevent men seeing the faces of women. In Britain this veil of purdah is to prevent politicians from making promises that could well seduce the more than 46 million British electors in their 650 constituencies from promising their votes to particular parties. Endit