MPs cannot explicitly say, "You are lying," even if it is evident that a statement is false. For example, when former Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced claims of misleading Parliament about the Partygate scandal, MPs were restricted from using direct language to accuse him of lying, even when discrepancies in his statements became public knowledge.
If an MP believes another has deliberately misled Parliament, they cannot accuse them of doing so outright. Instead, they must use indirect language like "the honourable member may have been mistaken," which is quite frankly utter nonsense.
Terms like "liar," "misleading the House," or "deliberate falsehood" are deemed unparliamentary language. In July 2021, Dawn Butler, MP for Brent Central, was ejected from the House of Commons for accusing Boris Johnson of lying and refusing to withdraw the remark.
Even when evidence exists to prove that an MP's statement is untrue, other MPs cannot bring this to light in a debate without risking censure.
Obv all this is ridiculous so...
My petition:
Amend parliamentary rules to remove the ban on calling out MPs for lying.
Amend parliamentary rules to allow MPs to openly call out false or misleading statements by other MPs without being censured for "unparliamentary language" Implement a system for fact-checking disputed statements in real time, facilitated by an independent parliamentary body.
The current rule prevents accountability and allows MPs to mislead without facing consequences. By repealing this outdated norm, Parliament would demonstrate a commitment to truth and integrity. Real-time fact-checking would discourage dishonesty and restore public confidence in the democratic process.
Click this link to sign the petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/709456/sponsors/new?token=fdiWhvQrsBRqd6E4obN6
If an MP believes another has deliberately misled Parliament, they cannot accuse them of doing so outright. Instead, they must use indirect language like "the honourable member may have been mistaken," which is quite frankly utter nonsense.
Terms like "liar," "misleading the House," or "deliberate falsehood" are deemed unparliamentary language. In July 2021, Dawn Butler, MP for Brent Central, was ejected from the House of Commons for accusing Boris Johnson of lying and refusing to withdraw the remark.
Even when evidence exists to prove that an MP's statement is untrue, other MPs cannot bring this to light in a debate without risking censure.
Obv all this is ridiculous so...
My petition:
Amend parliamentary rules to remove the ban on calling out MPs for lying.
Amend parliamentary rules to allow MPs to openly call out false or misleading statements by other MPs without being censured for "unparliamentary language" Implement a system for fact-checking disputed statements in real time, facilitated by an independent parliamentary body.
The current rule prevents accountability and allows MPs to mislead without facing consequences. By repealing this outdated norm, Parliament would demonstrate a commitment to truth and integrity. Real-time fact-checking would discourage dishonesty and restore public confidence in the democratic process.
Click this link to sign the petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/709456/sponsors/new?token=fdiWhvQrsBRqd6E4obN6