Rejected petition: Introduce accountability for organisations labeling people far-right extremists
Rejected on
Introduce standards requiring organisations that classify identifiable people or organisations who are right wing or patriotic as far right, or far-right extremist or similar, to use transparent criteria, provide evidence for classifications, and operate a right-of-reply and corrections process.
Serious political labels can damage reputations and influence how individuals and organisations are treated by the media, employers, public bodies and the wider public. We are concerned that lawful patriotic or right wing opinions can sometimes be associated with extremism without sufficient distinction between controversial political opinions and genuine hatred, threats or violence.
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s not clear what the petition is asking the UK Government or Parliament to do.
We are unclear as to which organisations you are principally referring in this petition? If you mean media organisations, then there are already standards to which they are required to adhere and a system of complaint, redress and apology in place.
The courts already provide a forum for accountability through libel/defamation laws.
Some of what you are asking for seems already to be in place and we are not clear what gaps you are trying to draw attention to which aren't just a characteristic of free speech in the public forum.
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.