TThere is a rising tide of abuse in our politics and I feel it every day. The Electoral Commission warned this week that harassment and intimidation are changing how candidates campaign, what they feel capable of doing and whether they can stand again. This is a threat to our democracy – and we cannot ignore it.
The numbers are impressive. Research by the English Local Government and Mayoral Commission in May 2026 found that 55% of candidates said harassment or intimidation was a problem, up from 47% in 2025. Women, ethnic minority candidates and people with disabilities were most likely to experience violence. The experience was so unpleasant that the third decided he would never get up again.
But none of this is a surprise. I have seen first-hand how abuse, threats and violence have increased in our politics over the years. Since I was elected as an MP in 2015, numerous people have been convicted of attacks, threats and insults against me. Someone was sent to prison for saying that the “bullet” in the back of my head was justified, and another person was convicted for telling me: “Come revolution, you will be one of the first.”
My social media followers know how bad this can be. I have a regular “Block of the Month” column designed to raise awareness of the disgusting racist slurs that are sent to me every day: the N-word, “monkey” and “monkey” are common insults. The onslaught of abuse is having a detrimental effect on my mental health and those around me.
Abuse is not limited to the Internet. When I was returning home from work, I was physically assaulted, followed and verbally abused right outside Parliament. During the last general election and at the local elections this year, I was accosted in the street by a local resident who made me fear for my safety. I was told that I was not welcome in the area, despite being the MP for Brent East, and that next time “I should come prepared.” I reported the incident to the police.
This is the hatred I face every day. And this inevitably changes how deputies work, how representatives serve the people who elected them.
A few years ago I had to close my constituency office, partly due to threats. We had a brick thrown through our window, and one day my staff physically eliminated someone who showed up with a golf club. While I was once able to conduct operations at polling stations without pre-screening, the increased security threat has meant that they are now moving around and voters are being pre-screened. I must also be escorted to every event and notify the police of potential dangers. Constant fear risks making our politics less accessible.
Some of the findings from the Electoral Commission report reflect what I hear from young candidates, especially from minority backgrounds. They are worried about electioneering and are also being attacked online. Our representatives should reflect the diversity of the population, but this growing abuse will prevent talented people from entering the political system at all.
It is important to acknowledge that improvements have been made. Police have taken initiatives to improve security and support for councilors, elected mayors, candidates and others. In my experience, this helped. But there is still much to be done. I want to see stronger, faster action to stop online abuse and for social media companies to tackle this at the outset, as we know the threat can turn physical once the criminals feel emboldened. If social media companies do not remove this content, they face significant fines.
Every month I report countless incidents of vile racism, but few are prosecuted. Therefore, the police must do more to identify those responsible and the justice system must have zero tolerance for convictions. I also support restorative justice so that we can work to repair the harm that has been caused.
It is also important that more aid goes to those who are disproportionately affected. We know that Diane Abbott, for example, suffered extreme levels of abuse, while I often feel specifically targeted because I am a black woman.
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And we all have a responsibility to lower the temperature of our politics. I recently wrote to Reform UK to draw attention to the party’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf’s offensive and divisive remarks regarding the birthplace of Sagal Abdi-Wali, a former child refugee from Somalia who is standing as a Labor Party candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election next month. Such policies fuel divisions. Yusuf incites hatred to increase the popularity of Reform, without caring about the consequences. It’s a political strategy for him, but it causes long-term damage to society.
We must act now to protect those who put themselves forward from all sides and bring those responsible to justice to ensure that no one is driven out of our democracy by fear and intimidation. If we allow bad actors to decide who feels able to participate in our democracy and who is silenced, those who try to silence us will win. This simply cannot happen.
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Don Butler – Labor MP for Brent East
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