Petition · past parliament
Create proper regulation and penalties to tackle dishonest political campaigning
Rejected
20 signatures
What the petition asks
In theory, it's illegal to use dishonest or misleading material in a political campaign. But when is anyone actually punished for hoodwinking the public with their crafty "facts"? That's because proper, consistent regulation doesn't exist and prosecutions are almost never pursued.
In the wake of a referendum where the public were told £350 million more per week would be available for the NHS, it's time to overhaul the regulation of elections and referenda before people just give up on politics.
Whilst the Electoral Commission's role in regulating campaign finances is clear, they have limited powers, resources or remit to actively regulate the honesty of campaign messages.
Please add your name if you want proper regulation and penalties for political campaigning.
Whilst the Electoral Commission's role in regulating campaign finances is clear, they have limited powers, resources or remit to actively regulate the honesty of campaign messages.
Please add your name if you want proper regulation and penalties for political campaigning.
Why it was rejected
There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.
Timeline
| 27 Jun 2016 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 8 Jul 2016 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
20
Status
Rejected
Rejected
8 Jul 2016
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.