MPs and political candidates encountering 'industrial' levels of abuse, minister warns

MPs and political candidates are facing "industrial" levels of intimidation and harassment, a minister has warned, as the government outlines plans for stricter punishments for those found guilty of abuse.

- Kiran Stacey

Rushanara Ali, the minister for democracy, said her colleagues were suffering worse harassment than ever before and warned this was deterring many young people from becoming politically active.

With two MPs having been killed in recent years and candidates saying they were harassed during last year's election campaign, the government says it is acting before further acts of violence are committed.

"In the time that I've been an MP, we've lost colleagues - my friend Jo Cox, Sir David Amess," Ali said. "We also had the horrific situation of Stephen Timms being attacked in the first week that I was elected in 2010.

"What we've seen is the level of abuse and hostility increasing to the point where in last year's general election, there was industrial-scale abuse and intimidation - creating a chilling effect on our democracy."

She added: "Week in, week out, I hear of colleagues across different parties - particularly women, but not exclusively - of being threatened and intimidated."

Ali was one of several candidates - several of them Muslim women - who was targeted by pro-Palestinian activists during last year's election. Videos showed campaigners following and shouting at her supporters in Bethnal Green, east London, while another image showed a fake Labour leaflet depicting her with devil horns.