Politics

Academics give evidence on plan to ban lying politicians

Published

2 years ago

November 4, 2024

SENEDD members took evidence about proposals to ban lying politicians, with academic experts warning that misleading the public can have catastrophic consequences.

The standards committee heard from academics following a Welsh Government promise to bring forward a law by 2026 to disqualify politicians found guilty of deliberate deception.

Andrew Blick, director of the Constitution Society, an educational charity, said misleading the public is as old as politics but the nature of the problem has morphed due to technology.

He raised the example of misinformation proliferating online fuelling riots in the UK over the summer, saying it showed how misleading the public can have catastrophic consequences.

Prof Blick said: “I think we are seeing a movement towards harder regulation.”

Giving evidence on November 4, the politics professor at King’s College London described the proposals as “path breaking” in the UK and potentially internationally.

“We welcome the fact that this subject’s being taken seriously,” he said. “The misleading of the public is clearly a problem constitutionally and democratically.”

Labour’s Hannah Blythyn, who chairs the committee, questioned whether deception would be best dealt with by creating an offence or strengthening existing arrangements.

Dexter Govan, director of research at the Constitution Society, suggested a criminal offence could act as a deterrent but he cautioned against overly severe penalties.

Dr Govan told the committee his primary concern would be around timeframes, saying: “If it takes two years to action such an offence, there are real issues there.”

Prof Blick added: “We don’t have a specific position but I think making it a criminal offence … it does signify … that this is a serious matter.”

He contrasted this with a “rap on the knuckles from a committee”, with people in the outside world seeing it as politicians sitting in judgement of themselves.

Prof Blick pointed to evidence that trust in politicians is at an all-time low in the “veracity index” poll which has been published since 1983.

“This could be part of a package of measures that might help…,” he said.

“It could raise the stakes in terms of the possible negative consequences for not telling the truth … so it could contribute to a cultural change.”

Pressed about a need to distinguish between politicians’ public and private lives, Prof Blick said a court would be capable of addressing the issue case by case.

The Conservatives’ James Evans raised concerns about politicisation of the courts.

Prof Blick pointed out the courts are not excluded from political matters, raising the example of the successful 2019 case against Boris Johnson’s decision to “prorogue” Parliament.

He told the committee it is regrettable if the courts have to get involved but he suggested this backstop is often preferable to self-regulation.

Labour’s Mick Antoniw raised concerns about the potential impact on the principle of privilege, which provides certain legal protections for what’s said in parliament.

He pointed to Labour’s plans to extend parliamentary privilege across the UK, with Dr Govan replying: “I do think there’s a world in which the two things can co-exist.”

Mr Antoniw, who was formerly counsel general, the Welsh Government’s chief legal adviser, said: “The creation of a criminal offence effectively removes parliamentary privilege… it means anything you say can potentially be reported as a criminal offence.”

Prof Blick called for an overhaul of parliamentary privilege which dates to the 17th century.

He pointed out Boris Johnson could have been removed from office if he did not stand down, with the former Prime Minister describing standards processes as a “kangaroo court”.

Prof Blick told the committee: “We are actually moving – potentially, if we go down the path we’re talking about today – to a full judicial proceeding, so in that sense it could be helpful.”

Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price has spearheaded calls for a ban on deliberate deception, striking a last-minute deal with the Welsh Government in July to bring forward legislation.

Mr Price, a former MP who was once ejected from the House of Commons for accusing Tony Blair of lying, warned: “In a self-regulating parliament, politics will always win.”

Prof Blick agreed the central question must be: “Is self-regulation enough in this area?”

Asked whether the courts intervening could be used as a “badge of honour” by those on the far left and right, Prof Blick hoped to see a longer-term cultural shift.

He told committee members: “I can see an even bigger problem with saying, ‘It’s all hopeless, so why are we trying?’.”

News

Police asked to investigate alleged ‘sabotage’ of Senedd candidate’s campaign

Published

16 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

INDEPENDENT Senedd candidate Paul Haywood-Dowson has contacted Dyfed-Powys Police alleging that his election campaign was deliberately disrupted less than 24 hours before polling day.

In an email sent on Wednesday afternoon (May 6) to the force’s Electoral Fraud and Malpractice Single Point of Contact (SPOC), Mr Haywood-Dowson claimed a marketing contractor had taken possession of 4,000 election leaflets and then stopped responding to communications.

Mr Haywood-Dowson, who is standing in the Ceredigion Penfro constituency, alleged the actions amounted to “criminal sabotage of election material” under Section 115 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

He wrote: “I am formally reporting a criminal interference in the election occurring right now.”

The candidate claimed a Liverpool-based contractor had collected the leaflets and accepted £252 in payment before allegedly failing to deliver or return them.

Mr Haywood-Dowson stated: “By taking physical possession of my flyers and refusing to deliver or return them 24 hours before the poll, he has used a ‘fraudulent device or contrivance’ to prevent the free exercise of the franchise by my potential voters.”

He further alleged: “This is not a delivery delay. It is Theft by Deception.”

The email requested a crime reference number and asked police to contact the contractor “immediately” to secure the return of the campaign material.

The Herald has contacted Dyfed-Powys Police and the contractor, who we are not naming at this stage, for comment.

News

Farage mocked over ‘London elections’ advert in Welsh newspaper

Published

27 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

REFORM UK leader Nigel Farage has been criticised after a campaign advert urging people to vote in the “London elections” appeared in a Welsh newspaper read by voters in Powys.

Critics say advert shows Reform’s campaign is focused on London, not Wales

The two-page party political advert was published in the Powys County Times on Friday (May 1), just days before voters in Wales go to the polls in the Senedd election on Thursday (May 7).

The advert included a letter from Mr Farage in which he attacked London Mayor Sadiq Khan and claimed the capital had become “lawless” and “unrecognisable” under Labour.

But the message appeared to have been aimed at London voters, not those in Powys.

In the letter, Mr Farage wrote: “If you want to get rid of Keir Starmer and change the direction of this country, there is one way to do it: Vote Reform in the London elections on May 7th.”

He added: “London needs Reform. It is one of the world’s great capitals. Yet these days Sadiq Khan’s London often feels lawless and unrecognisable to Londoners who can no longer afford to live in their own city.”

The advert has since been seized on by rival parties, who say it raises questions about Reform UK’s focus on Wales during the Senedd campaign.

A Welsh Labour source said: “For Wales, see London. Reform UK’s focus isn’t on Wales, it’s on getting Farage into Number 10.

“They don’t even care enough to place the right advert in the right country. It’s all about promoting Farage as their front man and fooling voters into thinking they’ve got more than slogans.”

Voters in Wales will elect Members of the Senedd on Thursday, while a number of local council and mayoral elections are also taking place in England.

In London, all 32 boroughs are holding elections, with more than 1,800 councillors due to be elected.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats also criticised the advert.

Glyn Preston, the party’s lead candidate for Gwynedd Maldwyn, said: “Reform can’t even get the right election on their own leaflets. It says everything about how little they understand or care about Wales or Powys, and raises serious questions about their ability to run the country.

“While they’re busy talking about Sadiq Khan and London, the Liberal Democrats are focused on the issues that actually matter to people here in Powys — long NHS waiting times, rural communities, and securing a fair deal on investment from Cardiff Bay.

“Powys deserves representatives who are rooted in the communities they serve, who know and understand local challenges, not yes-men taking their lead from Nigel Farage in London in his latest quest for power.”

Reform UK has been running newspaper adverts across Wales in the run-up to the Senedd election.

The party has been polling strongly, with surveys suggesting it could make major gains under the new voting system.

Reform UK has not yet commented publicly on why a London-focused advert appeared in a Powys newspaper.

News

Plaid tells Carmarthenshire voters: ‘Only we can stop Reform’

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PLAID CYMRU has urged voters in Sir Gaerfyrddin to back the party on Thursday, claiming it is the only party able to beat Reform UK in the new constituency.

The appeal comes after the latest ITV Cymru Wales, YouGov and Wales Governance Centre MRP poll suggested Plaid Cymru is on course to become the largest party in the Senedd, with Reform close behind. The poll put Plaid on 33% across Wales and Reform on 29%. (YouGov)

Sir Gaerfyrddin is one of the new Senedd constituencies being used for the first time in this election. It has been created from the Carmarthen and Llanelli Westminster seats and will elect six Members of the Senedd under the new closed-list system.

Plaid Cymru’s list in Sir Gaerfyrddin is led by Cefin Campbell, followed by Nerys Evans, Adam Price and Mari Arthur. (Who Can I Vote For?)

The party says the contest locally is now between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, and has called on voters who want to stop Nigel Farage’s party from gaining ground in Carmarthenshire to “lend” Plaid their vote.

Nerys Evans said Plaid was offering “new leadership” and a “positive vision” for Wales, including childcare support, a National Development Agency to grow the economy, and a new numeracy and literacy scheme for children.

She said: “As the voters of Sir Gaerfyrddin head to the polls on Thursday, the choice could not be more stark.

“Only two parties can win here: Plaid Cymru, who offer new leadership, a positive vision, and which will be accountable only to the people of Wales; or Reform, which would divide our communities, threaten the future of our NHS, cut support for our culture and language and is controlled by Nigel Farage, billionaires, and ex-Tories in London.

“Support for Labour has disappeared in Carmarthenshire, with people unwilling to vote for a party that has let Wales down for over 27 years and in Westminster since Keir Starmer became Prime Minister.

“There is no evidence that the Greens or the Liberal Democrats will secure enough votes to come close to winning a seat.

“We ask anyone who wants to prevent a victory for Reform in Carmarthenshire to lend their vote to Plaid Cymru on Thursday.”

The Senedd election takes place on Thursday (May 7).