Limits to liability in Government's initial misrepresentation (5)
I believe the answer is:
lying
'misrepresentation' is the definition.
(lying is a kind of misrepresentation)
'limits to liability in government's initial' is the wordplay.
'limits to' suggests removing the centre (only the edge letters are used).
'initial' says to take the initial letters.
'liability' with its centre removed is 'ly'.
The initial letter of 'governments' is 'g'.
'ly'+'in'+'g'='LYING'
(Other definitions for lying that I've seen before include "Prostrate -- prone" , "Mendacious; recumbent" , "Duplicity" , "possibly, to be mendacious" , "Not being disturbed" .)