Half of MPs feel unsafe
Half of MPs feel unsafe, a report has found.
The scale of abuse, threats and intimidation facing MPs is undermining the health of democracy, according to a cross-party inquiry.
A survey by the Speaker's Conference revealed about half of MPs said threatening behaviour had caused anxiety or depression (49 per cent), with a similar share feeling unsafe as a result (52 per cent).
The inquiry concluded that electoral law was 'not fit for purpose' in relation to tackling abuse of candidates in elections and called for a government review to assess security and electoral integrity.
Commenting on the findings, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Commons Speaker and chairman of the Speaker's Conference, said: 'Participating in free and fair democratic processes – as a candidate or a Member of Parliament – is a privilege and we expect that to come with robust political discourse and debate.
'But abuse, threats and intimidation should never be part of this job. It threatens the health of our democracy and forces people to choose between the public good and their own safety and wellbeing.
'I am grateful to members, their staff and the witnesses we have heard from to date for sharing their experiences with us and look forward to working with colleagues on the next phase of the Conference's work.'
In other findings, 96 per cent per cent of MPs and 69 per cent of their staff members indicated that they had experienced some form of abuse.
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