Ashes TV plan hit by election

The government's proposal to return home Ashes Test matches to free-to-air television has become another victim of the legislative hiatus ahead of next month's general election. A final decision on the move, which could have forced BSkyB to share live coverage of the next home Ashes cricket Test series against Australia in 2013 with a free-to-air broadcaster – likely to be the BBC – was due to have been taken before the general election. However, with Whitehall going into hiatus and parliament into recess ahead of the 6 May poll, time has run out for the proposal. The Ashes was one of a number of events that last year's David Davies review recommended should be added to the list of sporting competitions protected for live broadcast on free-to-air television. "In accordance with election guidance, there will be no announcement about listed events in advance of the election," a spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed today. Davies, the former FA executive director, also recommended that international football World Cup and European Championship qualifying matches, Wimbledon tennis, the Open golf, the Rugby World Cup and rugby union internationals in Wales be added to the so-called "crown jewels" list of free-to-air sporting events. The Davies proposals were criticised by Sky and a number of sports governing bodies, including the England and Wales Cricket Board. Sky currently has a £260m contract with the ECB that runs from 2010 to 2013. The ECB has said that the sport will lose £137m over four years if it comes off pay-TV . In February the shadow sports minister, Hugh Robertson, said that the Conservatives were unlikely to back the Ashes being added to the protected events list if they win the general election. He said that it would be a "brave if not very foolish" move at a time when other revenue streams for sport were coming under pressure. If Labour wins the election, the Davies review recommendations could still be implemented. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".