Large Print - 2nd Report - The Speaker’s Conference on the security of MPs, candidates and elections

Key findings

• 96% of MPs responding to the survey experienced at least one form of abuse, intimidation or harassment; female candidates were twice as likely to be threatened and ethnic minority candidates three times as likely
• Abusive behaviour is driven by eroded trust in public institutions, poor understanding of MPs' roles, and online disinhibition normalising aggressive discourse; however, only a small minority (14% in one study) actively perpetrate threats
• Criminal justice response is inconsistent across police forces and prosecutors, weakening the deterrent effect; the government's statutory aggravating factor for crimes targeting officials is welcome but must cover attacks on staff and representatives
• Social media platforms normalise abuse of politicians and have limited commitment to addressing underlying drivers; the Online Safety Act 2023 has potential but Ofcom must make full use of regulatory powers
• Citizenship education from KS1 to post-16 must be strengthened to teach democratic concepts, critical thinking, and the complexities of policy-making; public awareness campaigns face challenges reaching those who have lost faith in institutions

Recommendations

• Department for Education's Curriculum and Assessment Review should ensure comprehensive citizenship education from KS1 to post-16, including knowledge of democracy, human rights, rule of law, media literacy, and MPs' roles; competencies in critical thinking; practical experience of deliberating on real-world scenarios; and understanding of how uncivil language affects democratic participation. Teachers must receive appropriate training.
• MPs should actively engage with young people in local areas to support citizenship education, with Parliament's Education and Engagement Team expanding its offer to include resources for presentations and workshops designed by educators.
• Parliament's Education and Engagement Team should facilitate MP visits to schools during UK Parliament Week and manage administrative tasks to enable maximum student engagement.
• Local councillors and other elected officials should engage with schools in their local area, with support from relevant local government bodies.
• Police and Crown Prosecution Service should establish small specialist teams to investigate and prosecute anti-democratic crimes; a phased approach should begin with a National Police Chief's Council portfolio to improve consistency and senior ownership.
• Government must ensure the new statutory aggravating factor covers crimes motivated by hostility towards elected officials but directed at their staff or representatives.
• MPs should protect themselves by using restrictive tools on social media such as restricting replies, blocking abusive constituents, and ultimately leaving platforms that pose greater risk than benefit.
• Ofcom must make full use of regulatory powers under the Online Safety Act 2023 and measure success by the lived experience of politicians online; the government should prepare for further social media regulation given the centrality of these platforms and pace of technological change.

Key actors

Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, Electoral Commission, Parliamentary Security Department, Crown Prosecution Service, Ofcom, Department for Education, National Police Chief's Council, Association for Citizenship Teaching