Wales could become world’s first country to criminalise politicians who lie
Wales could become world’s first country to criminalise politicians who lie
Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price is leading proposals to make lying by politicians a criminal offence.
This should've always been the case.
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But what of those not elected or in public office? Farage for example. He stopped being a MEP and never has been elected or appointed since. But he is still out spouting lies.
"Under the proposals it would be a criminal offence for a member of the Senedd, or a candidate for election to the Senedd, to wilfully, or with intent to mislead, make or publish a statement that is known to be false or deceptive."
I think candidate for election would cover that.
It would now, but he's just been a bloody agitant for a number of years.
Even if this manages to pass, it'd only apply to those currently in or candidating for the Senedd. This wouldn't affect the UK government (and thus Farage) at all, even if he were attempting to get re-elected.
Obviously, but it's an example of a lying agitator it wouldn't deal with.
Maybe not directly, but if those who are running for office are held to a higher standard of truth, it's going to reduce the sphere of influence of Farage and others like him, who deal almost exclusively in falsehoods. He won't be able to get these people to come on his podcast, or whatever platform he has, and agree with his lies if they're afraid of being held liable for it. He'd be pushed out of the mainstream political sphere.
I think it's a step.
We also need to enforce existing news laws on any media outlet that calls itself "news".
There is so much disinformation right now and there will probably be multiple solutions needed.
Most one could do is go after them once in office if they lied whilst campaigning for election to that office. You could maybe go after them even if they don't win that election.
It probably needs to be done as a strict obligation to not say anything in office or when campaigning which is not verifiably true.
Would also need to be backed with hefty fines on parties if one of their candidates are proven to have lied, or if the party spread that lie.
Tbh any version would be very hard to get right, and if it isn't robust the likes of Farage will use it as yet another tool of discord & disruption as they attack democratic institutions and the rule of law.
I think politics and political falsehoods, aren't just by professional politicians. It's part of wider issue of misinformation spreaders.
Of course, but that's considerably harder to address via criminal law.
Going after people in office (& people running for office & political parties) for misleading the public is much easier, as you can impose a duty on them.