Harassment: Public Service

As Chair of the Defending Democracy Taskforce, I want to be clear: the harassment or intimidation of elected representatives - whether online or in person - is never acceptable. The work we are taking forward includes working across Government with the police, parliamentary authorities, to actively review our levers to tackle the harassment and intimidation of elected representatives, candidates, and electoral staff. For example, the Online Safety Act 2023 now requires platforms to remove illegal content - including threats and abuse - with Ofcom enforcing compliance.

But we must go further. The threat is evolving, and so must our response. Under the Taskforce's renewed mandate, we are reviewing how to strengthen protections and close any gaps. Measures such as the new aggravating factor in the recently published Elections Strategy introduce clearer consequences for behaviour that crosses the line into abuse. I also welcome the important work of the Speaker's Conference and look forward to its final recommendations.