New measures to protect local election candidates

The government has announced new measures to protect local election candidates from harassment and intimidation.

Police will be better equipped to protect candidates from abuse, intimidation, and violence, with a new national police unit to be established to target offenders who threaten and harass election candidates ahead of the May elections.

The new unit will bring together specialist officers and intelligence experts to monitor reports of abuse from across the country. It will identify repeat offenders and help police forces build stronger cases against them.

The unit builds on a system already in place to protect MPs.

This is part of a new raft of measures to crackdown on the abuse of elected officials.

New and strengthened guidance will also be issued to frontline officers, with greater clarity on how to respond to incidents involving politicians.

The security minister has written to the chair of the National Police Chief’s Council to remind chief constables of the wide range of powers available and urged them not to hesitate to use them to protect candidates.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: "Harassment, intimidation, abuse, and violence are not acceptable political expression. We will never tolerate it, nor allow it to become the new normal.  

"This is a year-round task, but we’re ramping up action ahead of local elections by putting in place protections and support for those campaigning, and ensuring any offenders face tough consequences.  

"To the public and those who serve them, protecting our democracy is a shared responsibility. We all must call out this abuse whenever and wherever we see it."

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams, Head of the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) said: "We will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of candidates or their supporters, whether in person or online. Police forces up and down the country will be working hard to detect and prevent crime, ensuring the democratic process is free from interference of any kind.

"A network of trained officers has been established to offer bespoke support and guidance to candidates. This will help minimise risk while campaigning and provide guidance on any online and social media concerns. A national operation has also been stood up to ensure forces are aligned and able to share the most up to date intelligence.

"It is vital our elections are not undermined by criminality, and we will work with our partners to make sure we can respond to any incidents robustly and effectively."