UK political parties on track to spend £1m on election day online ads

Broadcasters on television and radio have been limited to factual reporting, information about how to vote – and pictures of dogs at polling stations. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

The UK’s political parties are on track to spend more than a million pounds on online adverts on Thursday, circumventing a media blackout rule that forces television and radio stations to stop their election coverage when polls open.

British parties have traditionally ceased top-level campaign activity when voting began as they had no way to get out their message out. This is because of a longstanding broadcasting rule, enforced by the media regulator Ofcom, that states: “Discussion and analysis of election and referendum issues must finish when the poll opens.”