What are the consequences for lying to the electorate?

[Saxie007]

What can we do to ensure that the facts given are true? If MPs, special advisors and those on the campaign trail lie and it can be proven to be untrue in a court of law is there some form of redress that the public could take?

I am primarily thinking of the £350M to the NHS claim which was clearly rubbish.

If it was advertising we could fine the company and ban the ad.

We are dealing with liers here. How can we flush them out of our political system to make sure the facts are clear and true in future debates. Politicians have no moral code. They should be ashamed and the good ones are.

You realise politicians lie and spin doctor all the time right??

Politicians have been lying to the electorate for centuries. There are no consequences, other than loosing the trust of the electorate.

Normally politicians then have to go through various hoops to implement new laws and can then be voted out, so it's less important.

There's none if you can bury the lies until you get what you need.

Tony Bliar.

He's not in prison for war crimes. And nobody has assassinated him

well, it's the game of politics isn't it? sort of untruth brinkmanship - how outrageous a lie can we tell and have people believe it?

this is why the referendum is so fucked. in a general election with Proportional Representation all this bollocks has a chance of ironing itself out. with a yes/no game the side with the most appealing description of the outcome wins, regardless of whether or not they were telling the truth.

welcome to paradise.

The usual consequence of lying to the electorate is reelection. There's nothing new here, It's what politicians do.

Well, judging by the Scottish independence referendum, the consequences will be absolutely eff all.

Politicians lie op.

Politicians lie all the time, or change their minds once in office. Look at Lib Dems and tuition fees, for example.

Seeing as the Leave campaign weren't voted into power on Thursday (at least not officially, thank goodness), I don't think there's any way to hold them accountable. We can't do what we'd normally do and vote them out at the next election. We could vote some of the MPs that campaigned for them out though.

What are the consequences of cluttering up AIBU with referendum threads when there is a special section for them?

What exactly are you asking is unreasonable?

The 350 million was clearly a lie, as was much of what went on, not only on leave side. You are right though, they shouldn't be able to get away with it and the public, no matter which way you voted, deserve so much better. They should be held to account.

Do you honestly believe that David Cameron et al are innocent as the driven snow of lying with the remain campaign. A referendum is about making difficult and life changing decisions and no one has a crystal ball. Vote leave is a leap into the dark, but sometimes risk taking pays off.

With a referendum that is so close its inevitable half the country will be very upset. Unfortunately that is how democracy work. Its one person, one vote. The illerate chav from the council estate has the same voting power as an Oxbridge graduate.

As a country we have to hold OURSELVES accountable for our actions and mistakes. The remain camp need to grow up.

Did anyone ever actually say that the entire£350 million was going to be spent on the NHS? The slogan on the bus said £350 million per year, but underneath it said 'Let's invest in our NHS'. Nobody, as far as I'm aware, ever said 'We promise to spend the entire £350 million on the NHS'.

Ditto Farage, he said that putting £350 million on the side of the bus was a mistake, he didn't say 'Yes, we promised to put £350 million into the NHS and that was a mistake'. And there's the fact that Farage has absolutely no authority to either break or keep that promise because he has no power.

So, er, OP: it would appear that you and the people who are repeating are being deliberately misleading. I do hope you will be handing yourself in to the nearest police station immediately seeing as you disapprove of this so much.

Blair made millions and got away with murder.

It's no different to the lie that Brexit would stop immigration.
Lots of fucking idiots fell for that one too.

Re the £350 million. I have here a leaflet from Vote Leave that clearly states the following
'We will be able to save £350 million a week. We can spend our money on our priorities like the NHS, schools, and housing'

Delivered to my house about two days before the referendum.
Publish on behalf of Vote Leave.

Politicians lie all the time, or change their minds once in office. Look at Lib Dems and tuition fees, for example.

A bit unfair given that they were the junior partner in a coalition. Not the same as if they'd got the majority of seats and then changed their minds.

A knighthood and a seat in the house of lords with a nice lucrative consutlancy sideline

Vote Leave ltd were designated the official Brexit campaigners by the Electoral commission and give public money to fund its campaign.

What are the consequences?

Nothing.

In defence of the OP she has a point. If we cant hold to account politicians who base their campaigns in the run-up to a referendum or GE on barefaced lies, then our trust in political engagement is fatally damaged. That is different from common or garden spin, which is a question of emphasis and framing.I agree - it is a form.of fraud and there should be some sort of legal redress.

Did the Leave team have any power to promise things, like money to the NHS, and here www.itv.com/news/westcountry/update/2016-06-24/cornwall-pleas-for-reassurance-it-will-not-be-worse-off-following-brexit-vote/ they apparently assured Cornwall that their funding would still be available (£60 million from the EU every year.)

I know Nigel is an MEP, Boris Johnson, IDS and Michael Gove are MPs, but none of them are even in the cabinet currently. Surely the decision making lies mostly with the PM and senior cabinet members, none of whom were on the Leave side?

And if Boris becomes the next PM what do we think the chances are of him delivering on Brexit promises?

Absolutely OP.

There are none, it seems.

It's fucking crazy.