This Code of Conduct is established to ensure that political discourse within our group is respectful, principled, and legally compliant. We uphold the right to robust debate, scrutiny of political actions, and freedom of expression, but never at the expense of personal dignity, safety, or lawful conduct. We cannot have sensible and constructive debate if it is allowed to iterate into personality politics, harassment or abuse – people will simply refuse to debate.
1. Focus on Policies, Not Personalities
- Criticism must be directed at political actions, policies, or public decisions – NEVER at individuals’ personal attributes, private lives, or appearance.
- It is legitimate to call out hypocrisy, dishonesty, misconduct, or incompetence, provided this is based on verifiable information and public conduct which must be published at the same time as any commentary. If you have no evidence, only hearsay, raise it as a question and not a statement.
2. No Harassment or Personal Attacks
- Members must not engage in personal abuse, name-calling, or character assassination, regardless of political affiliation.
- If you feel a political opponent has been disingenuous in their behaviour, say this, do not call them a liar.
- If they publicly state one position and then vote against it, call out the POLITICAL dishonesty and, by all means, ask them to explain it, but do not call them a liar.
- Threatening language, incitement, or repeated targeted comments may constitute harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and will not be tolerated.
- Except where credible evidence supports wrongdoing, discussions on family members, partners, friends, or political agents of politicians are strictly prohibited, where crdible evidence of wrongdoing exists, this must be published with any non-personal commentary or questions.
3. Privacy and Safety
- The posting or sharing of personal information — including home addresses, vehicles, registration numbers, family details, or locations — is strictly forbidden.
- Even where misconduct is alleged (e.g. illegal parking), care must be taken to blur number plates or identifying features before sharing online. This protects individuals under GDPR and reduces risk of potential harassment.
4. Responsible Speech
- Do not make unsubstantiated claims about individuals. Public allegations must be supported by credible evidence. Repeating or promoting unverified accusations may constitute defamation under the Defamation Act 2013.
- Sarcasm, satire, or exaggeration must be clearly distinguishable from factual claims to avoid misleading others.
5. Tolerance and Civility
- Treat all participants, including those you disagree with, with basic civility and decency.
- Avoid sweeping generalisations about political parties, movements, or voters. Focus criticism on actions, ideologies, and consequences, not broad groups or identities.
- Recognise that freedom of expression is not freedom from consequences — hateful, harassing, or abusive behaviour may lead to removal from the group and reporting to relevant authorities.
6. Moderation and Enforcement
- Moderators will act on breaches of this Code to maintain a constructive, legal, and respectful environment.
- Repeated or serious violations (e.g. threats, doxxing, slander) may result in a permanent ban and possible referral to law enforcement or legal action.
Conclusion
- We believe in fearless but fair political debate. This requires that we hold politicians and institutions to account without resorting to the tactics we oppose: bullying, abuse, and disinformation. Let us be principled in our dissent and responsible in our speech.