Candidate abuse is reshaping election politics in England, commission finds
The Electoral Commission says intimidation is changing how candidates campaign and may deter some from seeking office again.
Abuse and intimidation of candidates have become a serious and growing concern in England, according to an Electoral Commission review of the 2026 local and mayoral elections.
More than half of Labour candidates (54%) and Reform UK candidates (59%) reported personally experiencing inappropriate behaviour, harassment or threats to their security. The commission said women, minority ethnic people and disabled candidates were particularly affected.
Female candidates reported changing their campaign behaviour more often than male candidates. Seventy-nine per cent said they had avoided campaigning alone at least once, compared with 46% of male candidates, while 57% avoided speaking on controversial topics, compared with 32% of men.
Candidates described verbal and physical assaults, spitting, threats and abuse directed at their families. About one-third said harassment or intimidation might deter them from standing again, raising concerns about who is willing and able to participate in local politics.
Electoral Commission chief executive Vijay Rangarajan said the abuse was not directed at one party and linked it partly to the “othering” of political opponents, alongside an increasingly blurred relationship between online and offline conduct.
The commission recommended that social media companies establish rapid-response protocols for online abuse and that political parties urge their members to respect other campaigners. Voters remained broadly satisfied with the voting process, with 94% expressing satisfaction, although more than half said they had seen misinformation and one in 10 reported seeing deepfake material.
