We call on the UK Government to introduce legislation—similar to the Senedd Cymru Wales (Member Accountability and Elections) Bill—to create a criminal offence for all election candidates who knowingly make false or misleading statements during campaigns, and for MPs while in office.
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Electoral campaigns should be fought on the basis of truth and accuracy. For MPs in office, the current standards regime relies on conventions and self-regulation, which have proven insufficient in maintaining trust. While the Ministerial Code and the MP Code of Conduct exist, they lack the legal power to hold individuals accountable for deliberate deception of the electorate. The Senedd has already taken steps to introduce accountability measures for misleading statements during elections. We believe Parliament should follow this precedent and ensure political integrity is protected by law.