MP's proposal to ban politicians from lying
Luke Myer's OfficeA proposal to ban MPs from lying in politics is due to be discussed in parliament.
MP Luke Myer put forward the idea as part of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill - also known as the Hillsborough Law - which is designed to stop cover-ups. It calls for a legal duty of candour on public authorities.
The Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland said the bill in its current form would make it a crime for senior politicians like the prime minister and cabinet ministers to deliberately mislead the public.
His amendment would extend the remit to MPs and members of the House of Lords, meaning "no-one in parliament would be above the law".
"If politicians deliberately lie to the public, there should be consequences," he said.
The proposal has received support from fellow Labour MP Ian Byrne, who led work on the Hillsborough Law, along with Green MP Ellie Chowns and Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts.
The Hillsborough Law follows campaigning by families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster that claimed 97 lives.
ReutersPolice leaders were found to have spread false narratives and withheld evidence of their own failings.
It has also been supported by the families of victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
Henrietta Catley, a research associate at Sheffield University, said Myer's amendment would work towards "restoring public trust" by making it an offence to deliberately deceive the public.
The academic is behind a PhD on addressing deceptive representation from Westminster politicians, written in the wake of Partygate and controversies in the Brexit campaign.
Catley said the proposal would introduce a safeguard for parliamentary privilege - a legal immunity that allows members of both houses to express themselves freely, without fear of being sued.
"As such, it protects free participation and debate in parliamentary proceedings and ensures that parliamentary functioning is not impeded," she said.
The bill was due to be discussed in the Commons later but has been delayed until Monday to address questions over other amendments.
Jennifer Nadel, CEO of think-tank Compassion in Politics, which campaigned for a law to prevent political deception, said the amendment would "draw a clear line".
"When lies travel faster than the truth, democracy becomes dangerously easy to game," she said.
She added lies to gain or retain power in politics represented "an abuse of trust".
"If we want to rebuild faith in democracy and bring disillusioned voters back into the system, honesty in public life has to mean something in law, not just in principle."
