Cheshire East: Councillor abuse 'becoming a national problem'
Two-thirds of Cheshire East's councillors responded to a survey on harassment, abuse and intimidation and said they had faced incidents including death threats, stalking and damage to their cars or property.In total, 82% of the harassment reported was on social media, with 62% in person, 51% via email and 20% over the phone.Labour's Fiona Wilson, who was in charge of the group set up to look into the problem, said she thought the public would be "surprised and disappointed" about the levels of abuse."It does concern me because there's the impact with councillors wanting to stand down - experienced councillors working hard for their communities who may not want to stand again," she said."We have to accept that we need to protect councillors going forward, and we've worked really hard to bring forward a whole range of procedures that will support councillors if they have any concerns in this area," she said.
Michael Gorman, the council's deputy leader and leader of the Independent group, said the figures reported in the area were "shocking" but said there were similar problems in other councils."I think we need a national response. This is becoming a national problem," he said."I think this government is listening and I think they really do need to take some action," he said.He added he felt social media platforms needed to "get a grip"."My dad and my grandad both fought in the trenches in WW1 and WW2 for democracy and against dictatorship, they're probably spinning in their graves now looking at this because I just think, this is not this country. "England is based on democratic values, not on hate and abuse," he said."What we can't have is people who are giving up their time and energy being intimidated and abused constantly online and through email and face to face, having their cars damaged, all the things we learned from this report and the reports nationally... it's time to start doing something about it."The council is looking introduce a formal reporting process, run training in conflict prevention, and issue safety devices.
See more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Donald Trump is ‘not a force for good' London Mayor says
Sir Sadiq dismissed jibes that President Trump made against him on a recent visit to Scotland, where he claimed the London Mayor was 'a nasty person' who has 'done a terrible job'. The Labour politician said remarks such as those were 'water off a duck's back'. However, he told an event at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe it sometimes felt like he was 'nine years old again' and 'in the school playground'. But Sir Sadiq, speaking at the Political Party show with comedian Matt Forde, hit back at the US President, saying: 'Somebody who has views like he does about black people, about women, about gays, about Muslims, about Mexicans, thinks I'm nasty. 'Really. He is the leader of the free world, arguably the most powerful man in the world, and really.' He spoke out as he said that records showed since the middle of January this year – when Mr Trump began his second term in the White House – and July 'there have never been more Americans applying to British citizenship and living in London'. The Mayor said: 'So I think Americans have got good taste by and large.' He added that he hoped the President would come to London during his state visit to the UK next month, with Sir Sadiq stressing the 'diversity' of the capital was a 'strength, not a weakness'. Speaking about this diversity, he insisted: 'I think it makes us stronger not weaker, richer not poorer. 'And when President Trump says some of the things he does, it brings from the periphery to the mainstream, views that are potentially dangerous. 'He inadvertently – I'm not going to suggest he does it deliberately – he inadvertently could be radicalising people with views that could lead to them doing things that are dangerous.' He spoke out about fears that minorities 'could be treated less favourably because of the views of the President of the USA' as he accused Mr Trump of 'using London and our diversity as a political football, as a proxy for a culture war'. The London Mayor continued: 'On a personal level, it is water off a duck's back, but we can't run away from the fact that there are some really serious challenges we face as a western society and President Trump, in my view, I speak generally, isn't a force for good.' However he insisted that he would be 'more than happy to meet President Trump' saying he would seek to show him that it is 'possible to be proud to be a westerner and a proud to be Muslim, that it is possible to be British, and proud to be British, and be of Pakistani origin and be a law abiding citizen and we aren't three headed monsters'. The Labour politician said: 'I suspect President Trump may have formed a view of Muslims because of the actions of a small minority of really bad people who are terrorists and use Islam in a perverted way. 'What I would want President Trump to know is that is a very small fraction of Muslims across the globe. 'So if there was an opportunity to meet President Trump, I would be more than happy to do so.'
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Labour needs to ‘pick things up' after ‘tough' first year in power, Khan says
The London Mayor said Labour supporters would be 'delusional' if they did not recognise the difficulties the party had had since winning power in July 2024. After taking Labour into power at Downing Street for the first time since 2010, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has seen his party's popularity slump in the polls, amid criticism over issues such as welfare reforms. 'It's been a tough first year,' Sir Sadiq conceded. Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, he insisted that Labour supporters 'need to have the humility to recognise' that 'otherwise we are being delusional'. The London Mayor, who was one of the most powerful Labour politicians until Sir Keir became Prime Minister, added: 'Those people that say it has been a great first year… I think they are letting the party down. 'It hasn't been a great first year. There have been great things that have happened in this first year, around the rights for renters, around the rights for workers, around energy security, and I could go on. 'But as first years go, it has not been a great first year.' However, he said the 'good news' is his party has 'got another four years to make sure we turn this around'. The London Mayor – who is a Liverpool FC supporter – said if Labour was in a football match, they would be 'two-nil down' But continuing his analogy, he said that only 15 or 20 minutes of the match had gone, with minutes still to play and to 'win this game'. He said: 'It is really important now we really pick things up because I think we are two-nil down. 'But the great news is we have turned it round before, we have won games before where we're two nil down, we can do it again.' His comments came as he said that many people who backed the party last year had 'lent us their vote'. Sir Sadiq said: 'They didn't sprint toward Labour at the ballot box, they lent us their vote, gave us the benefit of the doubt.' After over a decade out of power at Westminster, he also said that the party had 'lost the memory of running things'. Sir Sadiq said: 'It has taken some time for the Labour Party, the Labour Government, to understand how the machinery of government works.' But he added: 'There are some really, really good people in the cabinet, there is a good back office team as well. So I have got confidence we will turn it round.' He added: 'With Keir and the team we've got in Number 10, and across Whitehall, Westminster, we've got a great team. 'They are not performing to the level I know they can perform at. I'm not being critical of them, I think they themselves would admit they can do much more. 'So I am hoping the next three, four years you will really see the best of this government.'
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Labour needs to ‘pick things up' after ‘tough' first year in power, Khan says
The London Mayor said Labour supporters would be 'delusional' if they did not recognise the difficulties the party had had since winning power in July 2024. After taking Labour into power at Downing Street for the first time since 2010, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has seen his party's popularity slump in the polls, amid criticism over issues such as welfare reforms. 'It's been a tough first year,' Sir Sadiq conceded. Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, he insisted that Labour supporters 'need to have the humility to recognise' that 'otherwise we are being delusional'. The London Mayor, who was one of the most powerful Labour politicians until Sir Keir became Prime Minister, added: 'Those people that say it has been a great first year… I think they are letting the party down. 'It hasn't been a great first year. There have been great things that have happened in this first year, around the rights for renters, around the rights for workers, around energy security, and I could go on. 'But as first years go, it has not been a great first year.' However, he said the 'good news' is his party has 'got another four years to make sure we turn this around'. The London Mayor – who is a Liverpool FC supporter – said if Labour was in a football match, they would be 'two-nil down' But continuing his analogy, he said that only 15 or 20 minutes of the match had gone, with minutes still to play and to 'win this game'. He said: 'It is really important now we really pick things up because I think we are two-nil down. 'But the great news is we have turned it round before, we have won games before where we're two nil down, we can do it again.' His comments came as he said that many people who backed the party last year had 'lent us their vote'. Sir Sadiq said: 'They didn't sprint toward Labour at the ballot box, they lent us their vote, gave us the benefit of the doubt.' After over a decade out of power at Westminster, he also said that the party had 'lost the memory of running things'. Sir Sadiq said: 'It has taken some time for the Labour Party, the Labour Government, to understand how the machinery of government works.' But he added: 'There are some really, really good people in the cabinet, there is a good back office team as well. So I have got confidence we will turn it round.' He added: 'With Keir and the team we've got in Number 10, and across Whitehall, Westminster, we've got a great team. 'They are not performing to the level I know they can perform at. I'm not being critical of them, I think they themselves would admit they can do much more. 'So I am hoping the next three, four years you will really see the best of this government.'
