PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Hold politicians accountable for deliberate lies
The Government should introduce a law making it a disciplinary or criminal offence for elected officials and ministers to knowingly mislead the public. A first instance of a false statement may be treated as an error. Repeating a statement proven false should be treated as a deliberate act.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
6
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 6/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 6/100,000
Background
Politicians should be held accountable when they knowingly mislead the public. Repeated false statements damage trust in democracy and allow misinformation to spread unchecked. A law with clear penalties such as public corrections, fines, suspension, or removal from office would promote honesty and restore integrity in government without restricting free speech or genuine debate. In the digital age, misinformation spreads faster than ever.