More than half of local election candidates hit by harassment and abuse amid growing threats to democracy

More than half of candidates who stood in this year's local elections suffered harassment or abuse amid warnings of growing threats to British democracy.

The Electoral Commission found 55 per cent of candidates experienced issues during May's elections in England, up from 47 per cent last year.

The watchdog warned that rising levels of intimidation risk driving people away from public life and putting prospective candidates off standing for election.

Social media was the most common source of abuse, with 39 per cent of candidates reporting inappropriate contact online.

However, candidates also described being verbally abused by members of rival parties and the public, followed in the street and, in some cases, subjected to physical violence.

One candidate told the Electoral Commission: “Someone attempted to attack me when I visited their property, initially went to throw a punch at me, then spat at me which I moved out of the way.”

Despite the scale of the problem, just 15 per cent of those affected said they had reported incidents to police.

The findings also exposed significant differences between political parties.

More than half of Reform UK and Labour candidates told the watchdog they had experienced harassment or abuse.

Some 43 per cent of Green Party candidates reported being targeted, compared with 26 per cent of Conservatives and 22 per cent of Liberal Democrats.

Vijay Rangarajan, chief executive of the Electoral Commission, said the figures “demonstrate the growing threats posed to democracy”.

He said: “Without improvements to candidate safety, there is a significant risk that people will be put off standing in future elections.

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“It requires work right across the electoral community to prioritise the safety of all those taking part.

“Parties have a responsibility to make it clear to their members that they should respect all candidates, regardless of which party they represent, while social media companies should act faster to remove abusive content aimed at candidates, and identify those responsible.”

The Electoral Commission urged social media companies to act faster to remove abusive material and identify those responsible for targeting candidates.

Conservative deputy leader Alex Burghart said: “Candidates must be free to campaign, express their views and make their case to voters without fear of abuse or intimidation.

“If people are being threatened or attacked simply for putting themselves forward for election, that should concern us all.

“Free and fair elections depend on candidates being able to speak and voters being able to hear them.

"We cannot allow intimidation to silence people or drive good candidates out of public life.”

The warning comes amid a wider row over the integrity of Britain's elections, with Labour accused of "turning a blind eye" to husbands telling their wives how to vote.

Newly appointed Shadow Communities Secretary Katie Lam has demanded a crackdown on family voting, warning that "coercion, fraud and poisonous sectarianism" pose a threat to British democracy.

Ms Lam pointed to reports of alleged family voting during the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, where male relatives were accused of directing female family members on how to vote inside polling stations.

Greater Manchester Police investigated the allegations but closed its probe in March after finding "no evidence of any intent to influence or refrain any person from voting".

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