Submitted on Friday 10th October 2025
Rejected on Friday 14th November 2025
Current status: Rejected
Rejection code: no-action (see below for details)
Allow Standards Commissioner to investigate MPs' social media posts
Revise the Procedural Protocol in respect of the Code of Conduct for MPs to remove the express prevention on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards from investigating an MP’s social media posts.
Social media is a powerful platform where MPs share posts that influence public opinion & policy. Excluding it from investigations creates a loophole, allowing potentially false, harmful or unethical statements to evade scrutiny. Including it ensures transparency, upholds standards in the digital age, and maintains public trust in elected officials, aligning with modern communication realities.
You can't sign this petition because it was rejected. But you can still comment on it here at Repetition.me!
The Government e-Petitions Team gave the following reason:
Petitions need to call on the Government or Parliament to take a specific action.
We're not sure how exactly you'd like the House of Commons to change its Code of Conduct.
The Procedural Protocol states that the Commissioner cannot investigate complaints about MP’s “views or opinions, including those expressed on social media” unless he is investigating a breach of Rule 11 of the Code of Conduct. That says that “Members shall never undertake any action which would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole, or of its Members generally.” This is because, except for Rule 11, the Code of Conduct does not regulate MP’s views or how they express their opinions, and therefore the Commissioner cannot investigate complaints about their views or opinions.
You could submit a petition setting out any changes you would like to see to Rule 11 or calling for new rules for MP’s social media posts in the Code of Conduct.
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