Survey reveals persistent levels of abuse and misinformation.
As a councillor for more than two decades and Chair of the LGA’s Civility in Public Life Steering Group, I have always believed that public service is a privilege and a pleasure.
But the findings of our 2025 Debate Not Hate survey are a stark reminder that this privilege is increasingly coming at a personal cost.
This year’s survey – published as councillors met for the LGA’s annual conference in early July – gathered responses from nearly 1,900 councillors across England and Wales.
It reveals that abuse, intimidation and misinformation are not isolated incidents; they are systemic and growing threats to our democracy.
It is deeply troubling that 72 per cent of councillors reported experiencing abuse or intimidation in the past year.
Even more concerning is that one in five councillors has been threatened with violence, and one in 20 has received a death threat.
So, we shouldn’t be surprised that 73 per cent of councillors feel personally at risk – because even if they haven’t had such a threat, they will know someone who has.
These are not just statistics – they are real people, real families and real fears.
This year, we have been able to show that women, disabled councillors, LGBTQ+ councillors and those from ethnic minority backgrounds are disproportionately affected. As someone who has worked closely with councillors from all walks of life, I know how much courage it takes to step forward for election and to serve.
We cannot allow abuse to silence those democratically elected voices.
More than half of councillors reported being targeted by misinformation about their personal or political character. This is not just frustrating and upsetting – it is dangerous.
False narratives, often spread online, erode public trust and can create hostility. As one respondent put it, misinformation is “the most dangerous attack on democracy”.
Perhaps most heartbreaking is the impact this is having on our future leaders.
More than half of the councillors who responded to the survey were unsure about or unwilling to stand for election again.
Among those, one in four says abuse has influenced their decision, rising to a third of women and more than a third of disabled councillors. We are at risk of losing dedicated public servants because the environment has become too toxic.
Highlighting these issues is an important step in reversing this trend of normalisation, but more is needed to truly address the impact of abuse on local democracy. We are calling on the Government to:
- legislate to protect councillors’ home addresses
- establish a central unit to address the abuse of politicians
- review the thresholds for relevant criminal offences
- permanently resource the police to support Operation Ford
- work with criminal justice agencies to drive a cultural shift, challenging the perception that abuse comes with being elected
- support better public education on local government and the role of councillors.
We also need to foster a culture of respect across parties, communities and platforms. Let’s stand together – not just against hate, but for the values that sustain our democracy: respect, truth, and commitment to public service.
- The LGA’s Debate Not Hate campaign aims to raise public awareness of the role of councillors in their communities, encourage healthy debate and improve the responses to, and support for, local politicians facing abuse and intimidation.