MPs will today be asked to back a Bill which will make lying in politics an offence. It is being brought forward by Plaid Cymru's MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd Liz Saville Roberts and has had cross party support.
She will tell the Commons that MPs need to "defend democracy, serve the public, and protect the basic standards by which we should all live", by supporting her Bill. The Plaid Cymru Bill would make it an offence for politicians to wilfully lie to the public. Arbitration would be carried out under the same procedures already used to determine whether a business or corporation has intentionally mis-sold or misled. Repeated offences would be sanctioned with a fine or, ultimately, disqualification from standing for election for up to 10 years.
She will use Parliament's Ten-Minute Rule to introduce her Elected Representatives (Prohibition of Deception) Bill. It would cover MPs and members of the Welsh Senedd, Stormont Assembly and Scottish Parliament, as well as Police and Crime Commissioners and elected mayors, who could all be convicted of making “false or misleading statements” but not councillors.
