A good time not to release things?

We are all familiar with the NuLabour phrase, "A good time to bury bad news".

Today the Metropolitan Police announced that the report into the shooting of Mr. De Menezes would be delayed because of "political sensitivities". It is assumed that these sensitivities refer to the coming elections, and the especially the London mayoral election.

The guessing is that Sir Iain Blair comes out badly, and that this would tend to wound Ken Livingstone. We shall not know until after the election, or whenever the report is published.

Perhaps we are ultra-suspicious after the blatant electioneering by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, when she announced very recently that 300 extra terror police are to be added to the force engaged in the prevention of terrorism, which was not mentioned even a few weeks ago when she had the opportunity.

There is supposed to be a moratorium on such announcements in the period immediately before elections, and the Tories have already protested.

Now it seems possible that the Police announcement of delay could actually be observing the convention, but conveniently for the Government and its cronies.

In which case the Government seems to obeying the convention when it suits, and flouting it otherwise. Time for the convention to be given some legal force, I think.