Worthing Councillor Calls For End To Abuse Towards Politicians

A Worthing councillor has called for an end to abusive language and behaviour towards local politicians which he says ‘crosses a line’.

Marine ward councillor Edward Crouch (Con), who is also the executive member for digital and environmental services at Worthing Borough Council, says that abusive language used against local politicians, and particularly Conservatives, is putting people at risk.

He said:

“It is extremely troubling that some people resort to dehumanising their political opponents.

“Sadly, I have had my own experiences of on and offline abuse.”

Mr Crouch said that the general tone in politics is ‘far too low’, referring to an incident where deputy leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner used the insult ‘scum’ to refer to Conservatives, for which she later apologised.

He said:

“If you call someone ‘scum’ you’re saying they’re not human, and you can do what you like to something that is not human.

“Whilst we’re all guilty of political rough and tumble, there is a line.”

The Marine ward councillor said he had installed CCTV after he was ‘prodded in the chest’, received threatening private messages and ‘had things posted through his door’.

“Nobody should feel nervous in putting their address on [campaign] literature and putting themselves forward,” he said.

Mr Crouch said that incidents of abuse can often go unreported.

He explained:

“If we complained every time somebody shouted abuse at us, we would probably end up not doing much campaigning.”

Mr Crouch’s former fellow Marine councillor Tim Wills resigned last month after anti-racist campaign group HOPE not Hate said he allegedly sent messages to a Telegram chat associated with Patriotic Alternative.

“I’m not naive enough to not recognise that the Conservatives have had our own issue recently that has led to a by-election,” Mr Crouch said.

He added:

“Clearly knowing what we know now, I would regret any support previously offered to former Councillor Wills. 

“I call out and would critique the comments [Mr Wills allegedly made] as being abhorrent, if true.

“Hindsight is a great thing and clearly I would remove myself from any association with Councillor Wills – whose views I do not share.”

Abuse faced by local councillors is growing, says LGA

This comes as the Local Government Association (LGA) voiced ‘growing concerns’ about what it calls an ‘increasing level of public intimidation and toxicity of debate’ which ‘affects our country’s democratic processes’.

The LGA said:

“This is a long-standing area of work for the LGA, but the recent tragic death of Sir David Amess MP has brought this issue into marked focus.

“Everyone in public life should be able to go about their daily business without fear of attack.”

Of great concern to the Association is the thought of candidates being too intimidated to stand for election, or local councillors withdrawing from public life as a result of abuse.

At a meeting of the LGA advisory board on October 21, attendees heard anecdotal accounts of death threats and intimidation faced by councillors.

The LGA says it wants to encourage a ‘diverse range’ of people to stand for election but added that this could be jeopardised by ‘increasing online intimidation, abuse and threats’ faced by women, people with disabilities, BAME groups and members of the LGBT+ community in particular.

The body, which represents local authorities across England and Wales, has put out a ‘call for evidence’ of abuse and intimidation faced by councillors as part of its Civility in Public Life programme.

A ‘Councillor’s guide to handling intimidation’ was also published by the LGA.