'We're worried about the future of democracy' as online abuse spirals and potential councillors put off from standing
Police have been giving an update on how they respond to incidents against councillors
Last updated 28th Sep 2026
Twenty seven crimes against councillors have been recorded over the last 12 months under the police’s Operation Ford initiative in Devon and Cornwall.
But more needs to be done to better protect elected representatives, a police and crime panel meeting has heard.
What local experiences have been reported?
Cllr Caroline Leaver, a former Lid Dem chair of Devon County Council, says it isn't just online abuse: "We have examples of county councillors who had their primary aged children having people coming up to them in the street and being abusive towards them about their parent who is a councillor - that's disgusting."
Jemima Laing, the Labour deputy leader at Plymouth City Council, said: "I've had people come to our house, I've had my husband open the door to someone who started screaming at him in front of our children.
"I've just been out doing my shopping and people have come up to me and sworn at me. I've been a councillor for over eight years now and something has really ramped up."
Cllr Leaver says she's had lots of conversations with potential female candidates who've decided not to stand to protect themselves and their families.
"If you are considering standing but you're actually really freightened you are going to get online abuse or your address published, or that you are going to have people shouting at you when you go and do your supermarket shop or whaetver - is a real disincentive to standing," she said.
"But we need people to stand, we need a variety of people - as a female in politics there's not enough of us, I would like us to have a 50:50 split."
Cllr Laing believes a lot of the online abuse isn't from real people, and it increases around elections - and she can now spot what she believes are fake accounts.
"The profiles were all similar, not the same, but they all have traits that are the same," she said.
"Somehow or other they are following my page, they don't live in Plymouth and they're not interested in Plymouth politics - it felt very organised because within seconds of posting I would have comment after comment after comment."
Cllr Laing says she expects 'challenge' on her role in public life and it is 'important to communicate with people about what I am doing' but she feels the comments online can be both misogynistic and abusive - with no connection to her work as an elected official.
"I found that if you block certain accounts then other accounts disappeared," she reflected.
Exmouth Conservative MP David Reed says the current situation is not good for democracy and the growing levels of abuse - both in person and online - cannot be tolerated.
"I'm a former Royal Marine and I feel comfortable to go out and knock on doors late in the evening and I can go to areas that I'm maybe unfamiliar with," he said.
"When I've spoken to female colleagues they don't want to do that and if you look at that in the round then my ability to go out and campaign is extended whereas when I've spoken to female colleagues they don't do that and so it reduces their ability to do work."
What is the picture across the country?
The Local Government Association says for in five councillors nationwide now worry about personal safety - as reports of online and in-person incidents rise.
The latest Debate not Hate survey, found '78 per cent of councillors reported feeling some level of personal risk' and concluded 'much more needs to be done by government, police forces, social media platforms and others to tackle the high and growing levels of abuse and intimidation'.
The report warned: "It is clear from the survey that many people are being put off standing or running again for local elected office due to an environment in which abuse and threats are increasingly common."
Cllr Hannah Dalton, LGA Civility in Public Life Ambassador, added: "The findings of the 2026 Debate Not Hate survey are a stark reminder that abuse, threats and intimidation have become an all too common reality for those who step forward to serve their communities. We must never accept a situation where harassment and personal attacks are simply regarded as part of public service.
“It is deeply alarming that most councillors believe the problem is getting worse, with more than three-quarters having experienced abuse during the May 2026 local elections. This toxic culture is not only affecting those currently in office, it is deterring talented and committed people from standing for election in the first place. That is a direct threat to the strength, diversity and health of our democracy."
Olivia Field, CEO of The Jo Cox Foundation, said: “This new data paints a deeply concerning picture. It’s unacceptable that so many councillors worry about their personal safety. Abuse and intimidation in politics are a growing problem that affects us all. When talented people are stepping down, choosing not to stand in the first place, or feeling unable to speak freely, our policies and our democracy are weakened.
“Strong progress has been made in starting to address this problem, but there is still much more to do. We must continue to put effective safety and security measures in place, while also addressing the wider cultural factors that allow abuse to thrive — from improving standards in political life and making our online spaces safer, to learning how to disagree agreeably. We look forward to continuing to work with councillors and local government associations across the UK to drive these crucial changes through.”
What did the Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime panel discuss?
Members of the Devon and Cornwall police and crime panel spoke out about death threats, verbal abuse and physical attacks they or colleagues had experienced.
Cllr Philip Hackett (Ind, Torridge District Council) said he had experienced someone driving a car at him, multiple verbal threats and death threats, abuse in his parish magazine and his dog being reported as vicious.
He said it had been going on for ten years
“One person came up to me and said ‘I hope you die a horrible death’ over a planning application,” he said.
A former jump jockey, Cllr Hackett said he had developed a thick skin from dealing with the national press during his career and did not expect special privileges but it had come to a point where his partner wanted to move.
“We need to look at Operation Ford in a broader context too,” he added. “Our planning enforcement officers get targeted and when they are out there on their own they feel vulnerable.”
Cllr Chris Penberthy (Lab, Plymouth City Council) described a situation where a female colleague was being assaulted for “just wearing a Labour badge” but he explained that the police were initially slow in responding through Operation Ford despite the “red flags”, and it took five people to report it to get it escalated.
Operation Ford was set up in 2025 to enhance the security and support offered to councillors at district level and above – there are 585 in Devon and Cornwall – through advice, online security and the assessment of reported incidents through a new central threat centre.
The police and crime commissioners and elected mayors also come under its remit.
It follows on from Operation Bridger which was established to protect MPs following the murder of Jo Cox MP in 2016 and Sir David Amess in 2021. It has been brought into sharp focus recently following the death of former Conservative MP and Reform UK spokeswomen Anne Widdecombe in Devon.
But police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez described Op Ford as not much more than a “bureaucratic inbox” at the meeting where crime was reported up the chain to the government and monitored.
She said it was a “grey area” over how much the police or a council should do to help elected members.
“I need to lower your expectations about what Op Ford is,” she told panel members.
“There is no special treatment. You get no funding for security for your home like MPs do and no speedy investigation unless this crime is hindering your public life in which you would escalate it to the chief constable or myself.
“There isn’t a lot attached to it other than us being able to monitor it and actually start saying we need to do something different.”
Both Ms Hernandez and chief constable James Vaughan said they were committed to do as much as they could around Operation Ford to protect councillors and make the programme “meaningful”.
CC Vaughan told the panel he had experienced three death threats over five years.
“It is not acceptable that people who put themselves forward for public life should be subject to threats of violence and intimidation,” he said.
“We are determined to follow the National Police Chief’s Council’s guidance and the government’s lead to make sure we provide all of you with as much support, safety and help as we can.”
Cllr Caroline Leaver (Lib Dem, Devon County Council and North Devon Council) said elections were coming up next year and people were worried about standing, particularly women.
She referred to the abuse on social media: “It suggests to me if you value your mental health don’t go on it because you are going to get attacked – it is vile and don’t take on any senior roles, particularly as a women.
“It’s a serious issue, the intimidation. It is significantly scary out there for people.”
Cllr Mandy Ewings (Ind, West Devon Borough Council) said the abuse suffered by councillors was like “a hidden dirty secret”.
“Let’s be honest, it would put people off. You have to have a thick skin but why should we develop that just for being a councillor.
“The fundamental reason why we stand is to be someone who speaks up for their community.”
The commissioner praised members for being open and said MPs should be more open too: “They hardly ever talk about their experiences of abuse, it would be better if they did.,” she said.
“The more in the open this is, the less likely it is to happen. The secrecy of it allows the insidious and invidious people to be really nasty to some of our people in public life and they need to be dealt with.”