UK Cabinet Minister Lucy Powell Rejects Criminalizing Lying in Public Office, Citing Existing ‘High Sanctions

Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, has stated that making lying in public office a criminal offense is unnecessary. She highlighted that the Welsh government plans to strictly prohibit such behavior, but according to her, sufficient punitive measures are already in place in Westminster.

Political correspondent @fayebrownSky

Monday, September 23, 2024 9:07

The cabinet minister responsible for improving standards has implied that there is no necessity for laws banning deceit in public office, as stringent penalties for dishonesty are already in place.

Lucy Powell, who heads the House of Commons and leads the newly established Modernisation Committee, stated that MPs are already prohibited from lying in parliament, referencing the ousting of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a case in point.

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She addressed a side session on strategies for the Labour Party to rebuild political trust, which has recently plummeted to unprecedented levels.

When questioned by Sky News about her stance on the Welsh government's commitment to enact laws that would essentially prohibit members from lying, Ms. Powell indicated that she believed the existing regulations at Westminster were adequate.

She stated, "Parliamentarians must not deceive the parliament, and the penalties for doing so are severe.

The ex-leader was discovered to have been dishonest and consequently, he no longer holds the positions of prime minister or Member of Parliament.

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"Over time, we have enhanced the regulations concerning this matter, which has resulted in an increased number of individuals being affected."

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Mr. Johnson resigned from his position as prime minister in July 2022 after numerous officials left his administration due to the scandal involving Chris Pincher.

He subsequently resigned from his position as a Member of Parliament ahead of the Commons investigation into the partygate scandal, which determined that he had deliberately misled the House regarding gatherings during the lockdown.

Had he chosen to remain, he would have been subjected to a suspension vote as an MP, which could have led to a by-election if a sufficient number of his constituents supported a recall petition.

In July, the parliament controlled by Welsh Labour pledged to advance new "world-leading legislation" set to bar any members or candidates proven to have engaged in intentional deceit, following a verdict from an independent judiciary.

Mick Antoniw, who was serving as the counsel general for the Welsh government, announced that new regulations would be implemented by the 2026 Senedd election. This decision came after Plaid Cymru's Adam Price pushed for legislation that would criminalize dishonesty among politicians.

The specifics of whether the Senedd's suggested prohibition will classify lying as a criminal act or impose civil penalties remain ambiguous, with Mr Antoniw pledging support for the "essence" of Mr Price's legislation.

Mr. Price expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to now explore the "technical, legal, and indeed, constitutional aspects" of the legislation, which he described as "world-leading."

He also stated, "The government has assured us that our democracy will lead globally by being the first to enact a comprehensive ban on intentional misleading by politicians."

"Legislation will be introduced to ban dishonesty in politics."

The initiative comes after a four-year effort by Compassion in Politics, which is advocating for lawmakers in Westminster to support the proposal. Surveys carried out for the think tank reveal that two-thirds of citizens are in favor of legislation prohibiting politicians from lying.

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The Labour Party has committed to improving ethical standards, as stated in its manifesto, and has established a new Modernisation Committee led by Ms. Powell.

The newly formed committee is dedicated to examining the matter of secondary employment, focusing on the possibility of imposing restrictions on MPs' paid roles in the media. However, it remains uncertain what additional actions might be considered.

Ms. Powell informed the gathering at the side event that her committee is dedicated to ensuring that Members of Parliament are present and accountable to the legislative body by fulfilling obligations such as responding to written inquiries and timely submission of select committee reports.

Opponents of making lying in public office a criminal offense argue that it could jeopardize freedom of speech and that it would be challenging to enforce since establishing intent can be complicated.

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