Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to prevent political parties and election candidates from issuing leaflets that pretend to be documents from official sources.

Electoral law already provides that printed election literature by parties and candidates in a regulated election period must include an imprint. The Government will be extending this provision to digital materials, following recent consultations.

More broadly, free speech in a democracy often results in robust and lively debate. Critical comment, however presented, is an important check and balance on proposals by governments and municipal administrations to increase taxes on the people.

When the content and context of political argument is contested, the best remedy is further debate in an independent free press, rather than state vetting and censorship of political comment. We should then trust the people to make their own judgements on the merits of the case at the ballot box.