By Wednesday 14 January, MPs must decide whether to close a dangerous loophole in UK law — or leave it open.
On that day, Parliament will decide whether to take seriously an amendment to the Hillsborough Law that would make it a criminal offence for politicians to deliberately mislead the public. The amendment must secure enough named supporters before it is selected. Without that backing, it is unlikely to progress.
That is why the next 48 hours matter. This is a measure that could stop a Trumpian figure holding onto power in the UK.
Since Friday, and especially following a major push on Sunday, supporters have contacted almost every MP in Parliament, sending well over a thousand emails calling on them to add their name in support. That level of engagement is rare — and MPs are noticing.
I’m so grateful to every one of you who has taken action. Team Compassion has leapt into action, and the results have been staggering.
We are also grateful for the public backing of commentators and campaigners who have helped bring this issue into the mainstream, including Marina Purkiss, whose support has significantly widened its reach.
The case for action is clear. The Hillsborough Law will already make it a criminal offence for public officials to mislead the public. But as drafted, it does not apply to politicians themselves. That gap creates a perverse and dangerous anomaly: those with the greatest power to shape public understanding remain beyond the law.
We have seen, in the UK and internationally, how unchecked political dishonesty corrodes trust, fuels extremism, and makes democratic systems easier to manipulate. This amendment is tightly drawn and deliberately limited. It applies only to the most serious cases of deliberate deception, with prosecutions requiring the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Honest mistakes, political debate and free expression are explicitly protected.
With just 48 hours left, we need support to get this over the line.
If you have not yet written to your MP, please do so now. With time so tight, this is the most important action you can take.
And if you are also able to donate, even a small amount would help our push to get this over the line in the final stretch.
This is a narrow window, but a real one. Parliament does still respond when enough constituents are clear, specific, and persistent.
With resolve,
Jennifer
Jennifer Nadel
CEO, Compassion in Politics