As Parliament debates the Hillsborough Law’s application to spies, MPs push to apply the same honesty standards to themselves

As backlash grows over plans to water down the Hillsborough Law’s application to the security services, critics warn the Bill could still hold intelligence agencies to stricter honesty standards than MPs, prompting a cross-party push to include both Houses of Parliament under the offence.

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, commonly known as the Hillsborough Law, has already been delayed following criticism that its duty of candour provisions have been weakened, particularly in relation to the security services. Campaigners and MPs now say the delay has exposed a deeper contradiction at the heart of the legislation.

Under the Bill as currently drafted, Government Ministers, and potentially intelligence agencies, could face criminal prosecution for deliberately misleading the public. MPs and members of the House of Lords, however, would remain exempt from the new offence of Misleading the Public.

“In a law about truth, Parliament itself is currently outside the scope of the offence,” campaigners from Compassion in Politics and ExecProsec said. “That is precisely why this amendment matters.”

A growing cross-party group of MPs is now backing an amendment tabled by Luke Myer MP that would explicitly include MPs and members of the House of Lords within the scope of the offence.

Neil Duncan-Jordan MP said:

“Of course the security services should not be allowed to mislead the public about serious failures. Nobody disputes that. But if we are saying honesty matters, then Parliament cannot keep carving itself out of the rules. Why would the public trust a law about truth that does not apply to the people who write it?”

Dr Ellie Chowns MP said:

“Strengthening public trust in politics – when voters are beset by misinformation – requires stronger rules against political lies and deception. That’s why I’m calling for all politicians, including MPs and Lords, to be subject to the same rules as Ministers and spies, and subject to prosecution if they deliberately mislead the public.”

Luke Myer MP said:

“This amendment is a proportionate, carefully safeguarded response to a real democratic risk. If politicians deliberately lie to the public, they should be held to account. Democracy only works when truth matters, and voters across the political spectrum expect Parliament to act.”

Those now supporting the amendment include MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and Plaid Cymru:

• Luke Myer MP (Labour)
• Sian Berry MP (Green Party of England and Wales)
• Ben Lake MP (Plaid Cymru)
• Dr Ellie Chowns MP (Green Party of England and Wales)
• Carla Denyer MP (Green Party of England and Wales)
• Neil Duncan-Jordan MP (Labour Party)
• Steve Witherden MP (Labour Party)
• Sean Woodcock MP (Labour Party)
• Ann Davies MP (Plaid Cymru)
• Dr Simon Opher MP (Labour Party)
• Liz Saville Roberts MP (Plaid Cymru)
• Dawn Butler MP (Labour Party)
• Llinos Medi MP (Plaid Cymru)
• Vicki Slade MP (Liberal Democrat)
• Mr Johnathan Brash MP (Labour)

The Commons vote on the Bill, originally expected on Wednesday 14 January, has now been moved to Monday 19 January, intensifying scrutiny of whether Parliament is prepared to subject itself to the same standards it proposes for others.

All eyes are now on whether the Speaker will permit the amendment to be selected for a vote, and whether enough MPs will vote to extend the Misleading the Public offence to themselves and to the House of Lords.

Key links

• Public Office (Accountability) Bill:https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/4019
• Misleading the Public offence (Clause 11):
  See Chapter 3, Part 2 of the Bill
• Luke Myer MP’s amendment proposals: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/59-01/0341/amend/public_office_rm_rep_0113.pdf#:~:text=_21%20Ian%20Byrne%20Jess%20Brown,Jordan%20Charlotte%20Nichols%20Kate%20Osamor
• The Members of Parliament who are sponsoring Luke Myer's Amendment Proposals: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/4019/stages/20349/amendments/10031640

Contacts for this story:

Marcus J. Ball — Private prosecutor in Ball v Johnson (2019), founder of ExecProsec MJB@ExecProsec.com. ExecProsec is advised by Lewis Power KC (https://furnivalchambers.co.uk/barrister/lewis-power-kc/) and Colin Witcher (https://churchcourtchambers.co.uk/barrister/colin-witcher/):

Jennifer Nadel — CEO, Compassion in Politics, jennifer.nadel@compassioninpolitics.com, 07970 870026

Luke Myer MP — Sponsor of amendments extending the offence to MPs and Peers, luke.myer.mp@parliament.uk, 077805 267177 (Carolanne Bernard does Parliamentary Comms for Luke Myer MP)

Dr Ellie Chowns MP's Parliamentary Media Officer: jesi.bailey@parliament.uk 0207 219 7573

Neil Duncan-Jordan MP: neil.duncanjordan.mp@parliament.uk, 01202 160740

About Bates Wells

The amendments have been developed with pro bono legal support from Bates Wells, who advised on parliamentary drafting and safeguards.

A spokesperson for Bates Wells said:

“The Hillsborough Bill is an important and ambitious piece of legislation. Bates Wells is proud to contribute to the public debate and development of the Bill by providing pro bono support to Compassion in Politics on these amendments. At a time when trust in democratic systems is declining, it is right to question whether the offence of misleading the public should expressly apply to parliamentarians and candidates in parliamentary elections.”

Bates Wells is the only law firm with a Roll A Parliamentary Agent, authorised to promote private bills in Parliament, and combines this with a top-ranked electoral law, campaigning, and public law practice. This expertise has enabled Bates Wells to support Compassion in Politics on these amendments on a pro bono basis.

https://bateswells.co.uk

About Compassion in Politics:

Compassion in Politics is a cross-party think tank working to restore trust, integrity and humanity in public life. It campaigns for evidence-based reforms to strengthen democracy, including laws to deter deliberate political deception. It provides the Secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Compassionate Politics which is chaired by Kim Leadbeater MP and has nearly 60 parliamentary members.

https://www.compassioninpolitics.com

About ExecProsec

ExecProsec is a UK not-for-profit organisation focused on closing gaps in legal and parliamentary accountability at the highest levels of public office. Its work includes Ball v Johnson (2019), a crowdfunded private prosecution attempt against Boris Johnson that tested the application of misconduct in public office to political deception and established revealing procedural problems within the High Court. ExecProsec has since made detailed parliamentary proposals, including amendments to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill 2025, arguing that deliberate deception of the public should be a criminal offence applying equally to Ministers, MPs and Peers, supported by clear statutory safeguards and independent prosecution.

https://www.execprosec.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY
MARCUS J BALL 07917086231