The Welsh Government promised to introduce a law banning lying politicians before the next Senedd election after striking a last-minute deal to avert defeat.
Mick Antoniw, who is counsel general, the Welsh Government’s chief legal adviser, reached an agreement with Adam Price just before a key vote on creating an offence of deception.
Under the elections bill, Mr Price proposed a four-year disqualification for Senedd members, ministers or candidates found guilty of deliberate lying.
Mr Antoniw stopped short of supporting criminalisation as he invited the Senedd’s standards committee, which is holding an inquiry on accountability, to make proposals.
He said: “The Welsh Government will bring forward legislation before 2026 for the disqualification of members and candidates found guilty of deception through an independent judicial process.”
Mr Price proposed a four-year disqualification for Senedd members, ministers or candidates found guilty of deliberate lying.
I had no idea they illegally dumped waste on a conservation site when I accepted the money. Prove me wrong, Mr. Price… prove me wrong.
laughs in Welsh
Might as well just ban politicians.
Whilst I love the idea of more truth in politics, I think the only way to do that sustainably is behaviourally through a political culture that values this, not legalistically through political rules. The latter isn’t a substitute for the former.
Without a political culture that prioritises honesty and respectful debate, either this law will have to be a toothless gimmick, or it will become weaponised by malevolent populists against their political opponents. Neither of these outcomes would be a good thing.
