Abuse is not an inevitable consequence of public life – keep reporting it and let's confront every instance
4 min read
Members across Parliament will know that abuse is not a new problem in British politics.
However, the scale and intensity we are seeing today are unprecedented. It has become more visible and far more prolific than anything we’ve seen before.
The majority of political debate remains robust but respectful. However there is a clear line between legitimate disagreement, and behaviour intended to threaten, harass or intimidate those participating in politics.
Too often, that line is being crossed. An astonishing 96 per cent of respondents to the Speaker’s Conference survey reported at least one instance of harassment, abuse or intimidation. More than half of candidates at the last general election faced similar behaviour. These are not abstract statistics; they reflect something personal to so many of us who have endured threats, hostility or co-ordinated abuse, simply for doing our jobs. It affects our staff, our families, and our ability to serve our constituents. And it corrodes the health of our democracy.
When people feel unsafe carrying out their duties and when capable people decide that the personal cost of public service is simply too high, we risk discouraging people from standing for office in the first place. British democracy becomes poorer as a result. I have been, and will always be, absolutely clear: this must not become the new normal.
I call on everyone, whether MP, peer, councillor or member of the public, to challenge the notion that this behaviour is now an inevitability for those working in politics. We must never become desensitised to rhetoric about harming those who serve in public life; it must be challenged, not shrugged off.
As security minister and chair of the Defending Democracy Taskforce, I am leading a co-ordinated effort across government to confront this threat wherever it arises – online, outside your office, on the high street, or at your home. Through the taskforce, departments across Whitehall come together, with the police, parliamentary authorities and other partners, with a single purpose: to strengthen the protections available to all those who stand for public office, and to reinforce the resilience of our democracy itself.
And we are taking practical, decisive steps. Specialist police officers are in place all year round to provide advice and support to MPs and other elected representatives. Operation Bridger continues to provide a dedicated police contact outside the parliamentary estate, ensuring there is clear support available in the event of threats or intimidation.
We’re working with police to strengthen their toolkit ahead of the local elections. We’re strengthening guidance on responding to these types of incidents, and created a new threat assessment centre for local candidates – modelled on the system that tracks threats to MPs. This brings together specialist officers and intelligence experts to monitor reports of abuse from across the country and help forces build stronger cases against those responsible.
We are strengthening the law, introducing new protections against protests deliberately targeting the homes of public office holders and giving courts powers to impose tougher sentences where offences involve the intimidation of those serving in our democracy. We are also closing loopholes that required candidates acting as their own election agents to publish their home address.
However, legislation and policing alone are not enough. For many across Parliament, there is an assumption that nothing will happen if an incident is reported. I directly appeal to all Members, please keep reporting, because doing so matters. It helps build police understanding of the threat picture, and ensures the right action can be taken.
We are all privileged to work in this historic place, but we deserve to serve our constituents free from fear. Standing together against this threat, we can change the narrative and ensure varied, robust but reasonable debate prevails. That is something all of us, across all parties, and across both Houses, have a shared responsibility to do.
Dan Jarvis is security minister and Labour MP for Barnsley North
