{"id":94209,"date":"2024-07-14T05:31:25","date_gmt":"2024-07-14T05:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/14\/election-abuse-of-candidates-may-have-been-coordinated-adviser\/"},"modified":"2024-07-14T05:31:26","modified_gmt":"2024-07-14T05:31:26","slug":"election-abuse-of-candidates-may-have-been-coordinated-adviser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/14\/election-abuse-of-candidates-may-have-been-coordinated-adviser\/","title":{"rendered":"Election abuse of candidates may have been coordinated – adviser"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Election<\/div>


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By\u00a0Laura Kuenssberg,\u00a0<\/span>@bbclaurak<\/a>,\u00a0Presenter, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"PAPA Media<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said improving security in the House of Commons is “the top priority” over the next five years<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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The government\u2019s adviser on political violence has written to the home secretary asking to investigate the intimidation of candidates during the general election.<\/p>\n

Lord Walney is suggesting there could have been a “concerted campaign by extremists”. <\/p>\n

He is urging Yvette Cooper and Security Minister Dan Jarvis to commission a short inquiry to find out if groups in different constituencies were working together and to document what he calls the “dark underbelly” of abuse.<\/p>\n

The Home Office said it takes reports of intimidation, harassment and abuse “extremely seriously”, adding that officials are contacting affected individuals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In the letter, seen by the BBC, Lord Walney said evidence from the last couple of months points to a “concerted campaign by extremists to create a hostile atmosphere for MPs within their constituencies to compel them to cave into political demands”. <\/p>\n

He writes the “conduct of the election campaign in many communities has underlined the gravity of the threat to our democracy” from the abuse and intimidation of politicians, local and national. <\/p>\n

Lord Walney said: “I am increasingly concerned about the scale of intimidation against candidates in the general election. <\/p>\n

“I believe there is now a need for a focused piece of work on the scale and drivers of this intimidation so that it cannot continue to mar our democratic processes and put candidates at risk.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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On the eve of the election, a review from Lord Walney called on ministers to update and extend the ways in which politicians and Parliament are protected. <\/p>\n

After the events of the campaign, he suggests the new government might have to go further.<\/p>\n

His concerns follow comments from the Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who told the BBC: “if there is something that keeps me awake at night, it is the safety of MPs<\/a>“. <\/p>\n

During the election campaign, candidates reported a hammer attack on their office, masked men interrupting a community meeting, tyres being slashed and MPs being filmed and followed. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sir Lindsay said he had “never seen anything as bad” as the current level of intimidation. <\/p>\n

Labour lost votes to pro-Palestinian candidates, angry with the party\u2019s position on the Israel-Gaza conflict<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage had a milkshake and other objects thrown at him during the campaign.<\/p>\n

Several MPs reported harassment and attempted intimidation of them and their supporters.<\/p>\n

In response to news of Lord Walney’s letter a Home Office spokesperson said: \u201cPolitical intimidation and abuse should have no place in our society. <\/p>\n

“We take reports of intimidation, harassment and abuse extremely seriously and are following up with individual MPs and candidates\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n