‘There are many lessons to be learned from the divisive Presidency of Donald J. Trump’

Submitted by Dr. John Timperley
Parliamentary Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat Party
Tiverton & Honiton Constituency

There are many lessons to be learned from the divisive Presidency of Donald J. Trump. Perhaps the most important is that truth matters and the calling out of lies is just as important.

The Washington Post reported a  “tsunami of untruths” from the Oval office – 20,000 by July 2020. In the United Kingdom, it is an incontrovertible fact that the public were extensively lied to and mislead by politicians, including Ministers, during the Brexit debacle that has consumed our county.

These lies have been often repeated, despite their mendacity being exposed, and there is no legal consequence in the UK for politicians who lie about their policies or make false election promises.

Which brings us on the role of the fourth estate (the Media) in “speaking truth to power”. In the UK,  a very small number of corporations own the bulk of media companies and are uncomfortably close to government and commercial interests. Even regional newspapers are now owned by a small number of newspaper groups, rather than run locally and entirely independently.

Unbiased political media coverage is vital for a healthy democracy. At a time when the Financial Times records that Britain’s democracy is being undermined by a series of government proposals on the constitution and to change electoral law, balanced, truthful political debate has seldom been more important.

A Tory minister has decided this week that political leafleting will no longer be allowed in England, even though the Royal Mail says it is safe to deliver.

Given the deep pockets of the Conservative Party to pay for deliveries since they are backed by wealthy donors and companies, this is a clear and brazen attempt to give the Tories advantage in the May local elections.

As a first step to improving our democracy perhaps publications can commit to giving equal space to political parties presenting candidates for public mandate in the May local government elections?

This could be followed by giving equal, regular column space to all political parties to raise the standard of public debate on important local and national issues.

Shine a spotlight on your Tiverton, Devon, by becoming an Area Ambassador. Click here to learn more!