Co-conspirators may remember Welsh Labour’s bizarre plans to legislate for an “offence of deception” by 2026. It was hailed as a world-first by Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price, who struck a deal with Labour to get it through:
“What has just been announced by the counsel general is truly historic, in fact it is globally pioneering. We now have a commitment from the government that our democracy will be the first – the first in the world to introduce a general prohibition on deliberate deception by politicians.”
Under the proposals it will be an offence for a member, or a candidate, to make or publish a statement that is known to be false or deceptive. A policy with more holes than swiss cheese…
Shadow Paymaster General John Glen asked the Labour government in Westminster if it plans on doing the same. Constitution Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has now said no plans exist “to bring forward legislation to create an equivalent criminal offence for elected representatives.” He says it’s for the Commons to decide if a statement is deliberately misleading. No Starmerite lying tribunals for politicians – the coppers will still be at your door if you say something ‘wrong‘ on the internet, though…
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”