Over half of local election candidates report abuse and harassment in 2026

According to a recent Electoral Commission report, 55% of individuals standing in England's 2026 local elections encountered intimidation or harassment, an increase from 47% the year before. The majority of incidents involved online abuse, as 39% of candidates said they received unacceptable messages on social media platforms. Additional forms of mistreatment included street stalking, verbal assaults from opponents or the public, and occasional physical attacks, such as one candidate who was assaulted and spat at while visiting a property.

Despite the prevalence of these incidents, only 15% of affected candidates filed police reports. Abuse rates differed across parties, with over half of Labour and Reform UK candidates reporting problems, compared with lower percentages for Greens, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.