Abuse and intimidation of election candidates in England has reached a level that is now changing how politics is conducted, the Electoral Commission has warned, after a review of this year's local and mayoral elections found a sharp rise in threats against those who stood for office.
The commission described the abuse as «a serious and growing concern», saying it is affecting candidates' behaviour and, by extension, the wider democratic process. More than half of the candidates standing for Labour or Reform UK reported being abused during their campaigns.
Women, people from minority ethnic backgrounds and candidates with disabilities were the most likely to be targeted, according to the review. The findings point to a pattern in which abuse is not spread evenly across the political spectrum but concentrates on candidates who are already under-represented in public life.
Overall, 55 per cent of candidates encountered intimidation or abuse during their campaigns, up from 47 per cent in the previous year. The eight-point rise suggests that hostility towards candidates is becoming more common rather than receding, and that the problem is no longer confined to a handful of high-profile contests.
The commission's review covered this year's local and mayoral elections in England, a set of votes that involves thousands of candidates across councils and combined authorities. Because those elections are fought at a local level, candidates are often more visible and more accessible to the public than national politicians, which can leave them exposed to direct contact and personal targeting.
The finding that more than half of Labour and Reform UK candidates reported abuse is significant because it spans parties that occupy very different positions in English politics. It indicates that the problem is not limited to one party's supporters or one ideological camp, but has become a feature of campaigning across the spectrum.
The commission's language — that abuse is «changing politics» — points to a consequence that goes beyond individual incidents. When candidates alter how they campaign, where they appear or whether they seek office again because of intimidation, the pool of people willing to stand for election narrows and the character of local representation shifts.
The review adds to a body of evidence that those standing for public office in England face rising levels of hostility. The increase from 47 per cent to 55 per cent in a single year is a measurable change, and the concentration of abuse among women, minority ethnic and disabled candidates raises questions about whose voices are being pushed out of local politics.
The Electoral Commission has not suggested that the abuse is confined to any single channel or method, but the review's focus on candidates' experiences places the emphasis on the cumulative effect of threats and intimidation over the course of a campaign. That effect is felt not only by the individuals targeted but by the parties and communities they seek to represent.
With local and mayoral elections forming the base of England's democratic structure, the commission's warning carries weight beyond the immediate contests. If candidates conclude that standing for office means accepting abuse as a condition of participation, the consequences will be felt in the quality and diversity of local government for years to come.