Police will be better equipped to protect candidates from abuse, intimidation, and violence under new measures announced ahead of the May local and devolved elections.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday (12 March), Security Minister Dan Jarvis reiterated the Government’s commitment to providing police protection for councillors, elected mayors, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), and candidates for those roles.
In an announcement accompanying his speech, the Home Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said a new national police unit will be established this month to target offenders who threaten and harass local election candidates.
It will bring together specialist officers and intelligence experts to monitor reports of abuse from across the country – identifying repeat offenders and helping police forces build stronger cases against them, the Government said.
This unit builds on a system already in place to protect MPs, expanding protection to people standing for elected office.
The Government extended the service to councillors for the first time last year, in what it called ‘Operation Ford’, and is now extending it again to cover candidates standing for election to the Welsh Senedd and Scottish Parliament.
It said that new and strengthened guidance will also be issued to frontline officers, with greater clarity on how to respond to incidents involving politicians.
Dan Jarvis said: “Harassment, intimidation, abuse, and violence are not acceptable political expression. We will never tolerate it, nor allow it to become the new normal.
“This is a year-round task, but we’re ramping up action ahead of local elections by putting in place protections and support for those campaigning, and ensuring any offenders face tough consequences.”
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams, Head of the National Police Coordination Centre, added: “A network of trained officers has been established to offer bespoke support and guidance to candidates. This will help minimise risk while campaigning and provide guidance on any online and social media concerns.
“A national operation has also been stood up to ensure forces are aligned and able to share the most up to date intelligence.”
The Local Government Association (LGA) published its own guidance on Operation Ford in February 2026.
Adam Carey
The short version: The government is setting up a special police team to protect local politicians and election candidates from threats, harassment, and violence — especially ahead of the May elections.
What’s actually happening:
A new national police unit is being created this month. Its job is to track down people who threaten or harass candidates running for local council, mayor, or similar roles. The unit will have specialist officers who share intelligence across the country, spot repeat offenders, and help build court cases against them.
This isn’t completely new — a similar system already exists to protect MPs (Members of Parliament). The government is now expanding it to cover more people, including candidates for the Welsh and Scottish parliaments.
Police officers on the ground will also get clearer guidance on how to handle incidents involving politicians.
Why is this happening?
Basically, abuse and threats against people running for office have become a real problem. The government is worried it’s putting people off standing for election. Security Minister Dan Jarvis was pretty blunt about it — he said harassment and intimidation are not acceptable free speech, and they won’t let it become normal.
The bottom line: If you’re running for local office and get threatened or harassed, there’s now a dedicated team whose whole job is to take that seriously and go after the people doing it.
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