Dear Friend,

When a backbench MP says something wrong in the House of Commons they can’t correct it.

It sounds astonishing, but it’s true: most MPs, including the Leader of the Opposition, are stopped from doing what we tell any six year old to do - own up to their mistakes. 

A broken corrections system means the official record of debates in the House of Commons is littered with false or misleading information. Trust in politics is being corroded from inside Parliament. 

Tens of thousands of people joined Full Fact’s campaign to do something about it. Earlier this year we heard there would be an inquiry into Parliament’s corrections system.

Today I was invited to give evidence to that inquiry, and a few hours ago I shared our concerns directly with the Procedure Committee, a group of MPs who can recommend changes to how the official record can be corrected. 

This wouldn’t have happened without the 34,000 people who have joined our campaign. Will you add your name?

What I told the Committee is simple. 

All MPs should be able to correct the official record when they make a mistake, just as MSPs do in the Scottish Parliament. 

Parliamentary process is hampering MPs from acting honestly, wasting time and encouraging political point scoring over giving voters the debate they deserve.

A fix would be simple, and popular. More than 34,000 people have signed our petition, and MPs who do admit their mistakes after one of our fact checks often get enthusiastic praise from their constituents. 

On Monday, the Prime Minister herself told the BBC that admitting a mistake is the mark of an honest politician. If you agree her actions—and those of all MPs—should match her words, tell them for yourself: sign our petition today. 

Best wishes,

Will Moy—chief executive
Full Fact

Read more: I wrote about our campaign for Politics Home
Watch: my evidence to the Procedure Committee