Anthony Barnett (London, OK): A recent forum in openDemocracy discussed whether there should be a law against politicians lying. It was probably started because the word got out about the programme Richard Symons made for the BBC. I watched the full thing, called The Ministry of Truth, last night on BB2. It was much more interesting than the clip run on Newsnight. You can get to the latter from the new Newsnight Big Fat Politics Page. I am very suspicious of the way politics is being turned into comedy to become part of the politico-entertainment complex and dislike the overly jokey approach, but in the end I was won over to the argument - having just argued against it in the oD forum. The film shows a wonderful range of politicians confronted with a draft for a Bill that would make it illegal for them to lie, and their responses. The penalty, if found guilty: to be disqualified forthwith from holding public office. There was a lot of huffing, and puffing and saying that they didn't even "fib" as Jack Straw put it. Symons made the point that there is a law against murder even though it is very rare. So why not a law against politicians lying? What really emerged as the programme unfolded is the way that British legislators regard themselves as a law unto themselves, accountable to no one else except - in a most distant sense - the voters, whom they do everything they can to manipulate. The idea that they should be answerable to the law was an anathema to them. As this became clear it changed my mind, we need this law! I don't think it addresses the central issue which it pretends to: of getting politicians, the media and also us the public to be truthful. What it does do is challenge the elitism of the political class.
There is a link here to the argument in Peter Oborne's new book The Triumph of the Political Class and what I like about the idea, as I think about it, is that while it has a populist edge, its outcome is a law not a prejudice. At the end of the film the Welsh MP Adam Price is seen saying yes, he'd run with it and try and turn it into legislation. There will be an early day motion on the 17th. (By the way, Adam has been promising to blog for OurKingdom. Er, we still trust you, Adam)
