INTIMIDATION IN PUBLIC LIFE

That this House notes that there is a growing recognition that intimidation experienced by those in public life poses a threat to the diversity, integrity, and vibrancy of representative democracy in the UK; further notes that tackling intimidation is a cross-party issue, the abuse and intimidation knows no political boundaries; welcomes the ongoing work on developing a Joint Standard of Conduct for all political parties, one of the key recommendations of the Intimidation in Public Life Report published by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in December 2017; further welcomes the partnership between the Committee on Standard in Public Life and the Jo Cox Foundation to expedite this work; calls on all party leaders to commit in principle to the Joint Standard of Conduct, to undertake to uphold the Joint Standard alongside parties' existing internal frameworks and to do all in their power to facilitate mutual agreement of the terms of the Joint Standard before the next General Election; notes polls show that the British public reject the current toxicity of discourse and debate; and believes that a common and cross-party commitment to the Joint Standard will send a powerful, positive and hopeful message at a time when it is sorely needed.