One in five council members has received threats of violence or a death threat, according to research | Political news

One in five councilors in England and Wales have faced death threats or threats of violence, according to a new survey.

The findings from the Local Government Association (LGA) come as the group calls on the UK government to take more action to protect councilors and other local political figures.

Nearly three-quarters of those who responded to the LGA survey (73%) said they had felt intimidated or experienced abuse in the past 12 months.

And 49% said they felt the abuse had gotten worse in the past year.

Of the 1,734 respondents – who make up 10% of all councilors in England and Wales – 22% said they had been threatened with violence while in office.

About 23% of them said they had received a death threat, which amounts to a total of 5% of all local politicians.

However, the number of councilors who felt threatened last year is 73% lower than last year, when it was 82%.

The LGA is the national membership body of local authorities and works on behalf of the member councils to support, promote and improve local government.

It calls on the UK government to make changes to ensure the safety of local politicians, including allowing them to avoid publishing their home addresses.

The association also wants a permanent government body that “monitors, assesses and tackles abuse, intimidation and security of locally elected politicians and candidates”.

Read more:
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Councilor Marianne Overton, chair of the LGA’s Civility in Public Life steering group, said: “These results are disturbing.”

She said they “highlight concerns about the safety and well-being of council members” and also show “how violence and intimidation can undermine our democracy by discouraging people from holding public office and speaking honestly on critical issues.”

Ms Overton added: “People should be able to represent their communities safely and without fear.

‘Bad behavior doesn’t just impact the individual, it harms everyone in communities, reducing the opportunity for open debate on important local issues. This has to stop.

“We need the government to act decisively to ensure that high levels of abuse do not become an accepted part of public life and that councilors are safe and confident as they carry out their vital elected role: working to represent their communities .”

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A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “Violence and intimidation have no place in politics, at national or local level.

“Local councilors work tirelessly for their communities and they deserve the right to do their work in safety and security.

“We will work hard to tackle the appalling abuse and hatred some of them face.”