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Hillsborough Law will make it a criminal offence for prime ministers and cabinet ministers to deliberately mislead the public – but not backbench MPs.
Democracy campaigners say a “historic” measure within the flagship legislation has gone under the radar, which is a move to “criminalise lying” by senior politicians.
That is through a new standalone offence of “misleading the public”, punishable by up to two years in jail.
This will apply to heads of government departments, civil servants and public officials such as police and NHS staff, if they intentionally mislead the public in a way that is “seriously improper”.
MPs and peers are currently exempt – but dozens of backbenchers argue that should not be the case.
Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan told Sky News: “MPs shouldn’t be above the law. Politicians have such a low standing with the public and that’s got to change.”
Mr Duncan-Jordan is one of over 30 MPs who have backed an amendment by Labour MP Luke Myer, calling for the remit to be extended to all members of both houses of parliament.
Mr Myer is understood to have held discussions with ministers and backbench colleagues to ramp up support for his plan ahead of the bill returning to the Commons for its report stage.
‘No-brainer’
One Labour source described it as “turkeys voting for Christmas”, but independent MP Rosie Duffield, who resigned from the party in 2024, said backing the amendment should be a “no-brainer”.
The Canterbury MP said trust is at an “all-time low” and the new offence could stop ministers lying or withholding information about connections to certain people or companies.
She said that level of transparency should also apply to “ordinary backbenchers” to restore trust, as “when a few at the top are embroiled in scandal, it besmirches us all”.
Bill’s delayed journey through parliament
Hillsborough Law’s passage through parliament was pulled last month following a row between the government and Hillsborough families over how it…
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