From Democracywiki

Democracywiki is an online open-content collaborative resource. Although it is hosted by the Unlock Democracy, the structure of the project allows anyone with an Internet connection and World Wide Web browser to alter its content. Please be advised that nothing found here has necessarily been reviewed by professionals with the expertise necessary to provide you with complete, accurate or reliable information.

That is not to say that you will not find valuable and accurate information in Npwiki; much of the time you will. However, the New Politics Network cannot guarantee the validity of the information found here. The content of any given article may recently have been changed, vandalized or altered by someone whose opinion does not correspond with the state of knowledge in the relevant fields.

If you feel that any page on this wiki misrepresents you in any way, please email us and we will attempt to resolve the matter at the earliest opportunity.

Submissions Guidelines and Policy

This site, particularly Party Watch, deals with the controversial business of rich people and organisations giving money to political parties. That means they also have the money to sue those who publish things about them that they do not like.

Libel law exists to protect the reputations of individuals, companies and other organisations.

Something is libellous or defamatory if it tends to lower an identifiable person or company in the estimation of right-thinking members of society.

It makes absolutely no difference whether something is posted on the Internet or published in a book. Those ultimately responsible for making the statement available to the public can be held liable: in our case, the trustees of the New Politics Network.

Of course, an accusation cannot be libellous if it is true. But we do not have the resources of an organisation like the BBC or Guardian to check that everything we print is accurate.

So we have to be ultra-cautious. Any statement which appears on the web site, which identifies an individual or company either by name or by context, and which could damage their reputation is a potential libel.

Accordingly, any such statements should only appear if they have previously appeared in at least two reputable sources: the web sites of national newspapers or broadcasters. Even better, just link to a web page on one of these providers which contains the scandal and leave it at that.

• Be especially careful when dealing with donations to the BNP or any future far-right or far-left parties. Mistakenly identifying somebody as a donor to one of these parties could be considered damaging to their reputation in itself, without further comment.

• Just because something is up on the Internet does not mean it is a reliable source, or even a legitimate place link to. Most Internet sites are so really visited, or backed by so little money that it would not be worth the while of a defamed individual to sue the publisher. But if somebody makes accusation on their home page, and we link to it, it would in theory be possible for the Network to be sued. So only link to established media organisations.

• It is not our job to be libel lawyers and make fine judgments about whether or not something is defamatory. If in doubt leave it out!

New Politics Network staff and volunteers will endeavour to remove or alter any text which we feel unfairly portrays an individual or corporation.

In all respects, Democracywiki conforms to the wikipedia general disclaimer.