Recommendations of the Jo Cox Civility Commission

Approximate read time: 25 minutes

The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the following motion on 18 June 2026:

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin (Labour) to move that this House takes note of communities and the recommendations of the Jo Cox Civility Commission.

The 10th anniversary of the murder of Jo Cox (former Labour MP for Batley and Spen) falls on 16 June 2026. Writing in April 2026, Dr Hannah Philips, respectful politics policy manager at the Jo Cox Foundation, said “while we commemorate the tragedy that was driven by division, we also remember the powerful response in which communities connected across difference”.^[1] Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Labour), chair of the Jo Cox Foundation, has spoken in the context of the anniversary:

The importance of addressing violence, abuse and harassment in our politics is underlined this year as we approach the tenth anniversary of Jo’s murder. We work on these issues not only or primarily because of the way that Jo was killed but because of the values with which she lived. Jo believed passionately in robust debate and diverse representation. We call on everyone across society to take action to address abuse and promote a more respectful, inclusive politics.^[2]

The House of Commons debated the legacy of Jo Cox on 11 June 2026.^[3]

1. What is the Jo Cox Civility Commission?

The Jo Cox Civility Commission is run by the Jo Cox Foundation and was launched in February 2023. The Jo Cox Foundation was established following the murder of Jo Cox. The charity states that its vision is for a society underpinned by the idea that “we have more in common than that which divides us”, where “our communities and our democracy are strengthened by connection and a respect across difference”.^[4] It set up the commission to “identify implementable solutions to address abuse and to promote civility in our politics”.^[5]

The Jo Cox Civility Commission has described abuse, intimidation and violence directed towards elected representatives as “one of the biggest threats to our democracy” in the UK.^[6] The commission has argued that not addressing this issue risks politicians standing down, fewer people being prepared to be candidates and reduced diversity and representation in UK politics. The commission said that tackling the problem was complex and needed to be approached from different sectors.^[7]

The commission has cited a number of surveys which outline the extent of abuse and intimidation of elected representatives. The Electoral Commission’s ‘Public attitudes 2025’ sets out findings from a December 2024 online survey of just under 6,000 people.^[8] On the intimidation of politicians, the Electoral Commission found:

Following the 2024 UK general election, public concerns about candidate intimidation increased. 35% of respondents identified it as a problem (up from 27% last year).

In recent years, less people say that bullying behaviours towards candidates is unacceptable.

Young people are more likely to find these bullying behaviours acceptable. Only 25% of 18–24 year olds say that it is totally unacceptable to verbally threaten a politician in public. In contrast, 71% of those aged 75+ say it is totally unacceptable to verbally threaten a politician in public.^[9]

The Local Government Association’s ‘Debate not hate: Survey of councillors 2025’ found that “seventy-two percent of respondents reported experiencing abuse or intimidation due to their role as councillors over the last 12 months”.^[10]

The commission also argued that disillusionment with politics needed to be addressed:

Efforts to address abuse in politics must align with efforts to increase trust in and accountability of politicians and political institutions.^[11]

The Jo Cox Civility Commission published a call to action in January 2024, and an update report in September 2024.^[12] It then published a further document specifically for the devolved nations in February 2026.^[13] Together, these reports have set out a series of recommendations across different sectors.^[14] The commission has said that significant progress has already been made on its recommendations but it is continuing to campaign for further action.^[15]

2. What were the commission’s recommendations?

The Jo Cox Civility Commission used the following definitions for abuse and intimidation, which are the same as those used by the Local Government Association:

• Abuse: A single act or repeated physical, verbal, or psychological acts that violate an individual’s human and civil rights.
• Intimidation: Words and/or behaviour intended or likely to block, influence, or deter participation in public debate or causing alarm or distress which could lead to an individual wanting to withdraw from public life.^[16]

The commission’s first report from January 2024 contained 28 recommendations across different sectors. The sections below provide an overview of these sectors and present selected recommendations from the report.

The commission’s February 2026 renewed call for action focused specifically on the devolved governments and legislatures of the UK, along with local government and police services.^[17] Section 2 of this briefing focuses on the recommendations from the first report; however, section 2.9 provides an overview of those recommendations from the 2026 report which were made to the UK government and the Electoral Commission in relation to supporting the devolved nations. A summary of the recommendations across both reports is available on the Jo Cox Civility Commission’s website.^[18]

2.1 Coordination and behaviour

The commission identified a lack of a central body to monitor abuse and intimidation of elected representatives as a key theme in its engagement with stakeholders. However, it cited examples of “significant progress” through initiatives including Operation Bridger, and bodies such as local police forces, the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC), and actions in Parliament led by the speaker of the House of Commons.^[19] Operation Bridger is a nationwide police security programme to enhance the security of MPs.^[20] The FTAC was established in October 2006 to protect people from instances where someone who is severely and acutely mentally ill may fixate on prominent people in public life.^[21] However, the commission argued that further action was required to “streamline monitoring and reporting”.^[22]

The commission also said that elected representatives should be mindful of their discourse with other politicians. It argued that if the public saw poor behaviour between elected representatives “there is little precedent for the public to treat them with respect”.^[23] The commission said that elected representatives should be mindful of the Nolan principles and demonstrate them in their professional lives.^[24]

Recommendations included:^[25]

• Government should implement and resource a central unit to address abuse and intimidation of all elected politicians. This would include coordinating existing initiatives, resourcing new solutions, and facilitating information sharing between agencies. This unit should be responsible for better measurements and analysis of the problem, and should be expected to produce an annual report on the scale of the problem, actions taken, and impact.

2.2 Political literacy

The commission said that stakeholders had identified a lack of understanding about the role of elected representatives as often being a source of abuse.^[26] For example, not understanding the different roles of local government and central government can lead to abuse being directed at the staff of MPs. The commission said it was supporting the work of Shout Out UK, a creative social enterprise that aims to promote political literacy, and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Political and Media Literacy.^[27]

Recommendations included:^[28]

• Government should implement significant awareness campaigns for the general public aimed at increasing understanding of the role of elected representatives and promoting civility.
• Impartial political and media literacy should be made a mandatory part of the school curriculum, including addressing how to deal with information sources and misinformation. Teachers should be adequately trained to deliver this.

2.3 Social media

The commission argued whilst there was a correlation between the rise of social media and an increase in “the ease of abusing representatives”, it was “very clear that social media alone is not the cause of the problem”.^[29] However, the commission also said “this does not mean that social media does not play a role in the solution”. It said that there was also a role more broadly for the broadcast and print media in “setting the tone” and “encouraging civil discourse”.

Recommendations included:^[30]

• The specific issue of abuse and intimidation of elected politicians must be considered when implementing the Online Safety Act. The regulator Ofcom must actively seek the advice of civil society organisations with expertise in this area, and ensure regular, specific training.
• Social media companies should acknowledge the democratic significance of local politicians and provide better and faster routes for councillors reporting abuse and misinformation online. This supports the call made by the Local Government Association in their Debate Not Hate publication.^[31]

2.4 Police and security

The commission referenced ‘Operation Bridger’, which was established in December 2015 to offer police protection for MPs in Westminster and in their constituencies.^[32] This was expanded following the murder of Jo Cox to include the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team, which coordinates reports from Parliament and local police forces. The commission said that whilst “progress has clearly been made, and many politicians we have spoken to are grateful for the support from both Operation Bridger and their local police forces, the system is not perfect”.^[33] It cited “inconsistencies in the roll-out and a lack of communication between various key players”. The commission said resourcing was an issue and “many of the dedicated officers are doing this work on a voluntary basis in addition to their normal policing duties”.

Recommendations included:^[34]

• Guidance should be developed for local councillors about what communications should be reported to the police, and the mechanism for doing this. This should include clear guidance about which laws exist to counter abuse of elected representatives.
• Information sharing must be improved between different forces through the Operation Bridger network and across nations and regions.

2.5 Parliament (Westminster and devolved administrations)

The commission said it acknowledged the work of the speakers of both Houses. It also highlighted the experience of family members, who worried about their loved ones, and staff, who were often the first to read abusive messages.^[35]

Recommendations included:^[36]

• Parliamentarians should be able to claim for the costs associated with addressing abuse and intimidation, including:
  • costs associated with wellbeing measures for staff who process/experience abuse
  • the swift implementation of security measures advised by Operation Bridger
• Mandatory, properly resourced training should be developed for both elected representatives and their staff on preventing and addressing abuse. This should include active bystander training, situational awareness, and training around safe social media use.

2.6 Local government

The commission said it had adapted many of its recommendations for local government from the Local Government Association’s ‘Debate not hate’ campaign, which was launched in 2022.^[37] It also referenced the work of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC).^[38] The commission said it was clear that abuse was unacceptable at any level, but argued that because local government was often “a stepping stone” to national politics, addressing the effect of abuse at the local level was necessary to tackle it at a national level.^[39]

Recommendations included:^[40]

• Councils should pass motions affirming principles to address abuse and model good behaviour, from the Local Government Association’s ‘Debate not hate’ toolkit or the National Association of Local Councils’ (NALC) Civility and Respect Project.
• Local authorities should ensure security and wellbeing resources are available to councillors. These should be clearly signposted, and there should be a dedicated point of contact for the escalation of any issues.

2.7 Elections

The commission said that during election periods tensions could be heightened and there was increased potential for conflict.^[41] The commission specifically referenced the “rigorousness” of candidate selection and said it recognised “the existing work on this by many of the political parties” and also the work of the Electoral Commission. Writing before the 2024 general election was announced, the commission urged candidates to sign up to the Jo Cox Foundation’s ‘Civility pledge’.^[42]

Recommendations included:^[43]

• Government should make any costs associated with candidate safety an exemption to election spending limits.
• Political parties should rigorously screen candidates during the candidate selection process.
• Social media companies should offer additional support for candidates at election times about how to protect themselves on the platform and report abuse. Advice should also be available to the general public around misinformation that might interfere with the democratic process.

2.8 Political parties

The commission argued that political parties had a role in addressing abuse and intimidation, as well as individual politicians.^[44]

Recommendations included:^[45]

• Political parties must consistently enforce their existing codes of conduct, with relevant sanctions when the code is not adhered to.
• Political parties should review how they offer legal support to candidates or elected officials where civil action is more appropriate than criminal action.

2.9 Devolved authorities: UK-wide institution recommendations

The commission’s February 2026 renewed call for action included some recommendations for the UK government and the Electoral Commission.^[46] It argued that the UK-wide institutions had important roles in “supporting and empowering” the devolved nations on the issue of abuse and promoting “respectful politics”.

Recommendations for the UK government included:^[47]

• Continue to improve coordination and resources in the implementation of Operation Ford to support the police and elected representatives.^[48] Guidance should be developed for local councillors about what communications should be reported to the police, and the mechanism for doing this. This should include clear guidance about which laws exist to counter abuse of elected representatives.
• Implement section 106 of the Equality Act which would require political parties to collect and publish anonymised data on the protected characteristics of their election candidates, including those standing for the UK Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, and the Senedd.

Recommendations for the Electoral Commission included:^[49]

• Create a candidate safety hub and disseminate these resources widely to candidates including through returning office[r]s, political parties and third sector organisations who work with candidates.

3. Progress in implementing the committee’s 2024 recommendations

In its February 2026 renewed call for action for the devolved nations, the Jo Cox Civility Commission stated that progress had been made and that culture change was possible.^[50] The report’s introduction set out the primary areas of progress made since the commission’s first report was published, which included the establishment of Operation Ford:

In January 2024 we launched our first call to action with 28 recommendations. Since then, the main areas of progress have been in police and security. A new dedicated police resource—Operation Ford—for local government representatives has been implemented. The 2024 elections were the first in which security costs were exempt from election spending limits—and the Scottish and Welsh governments have both announced that the same provision will be in place for the 2026 elections.^[51]

In the section of the report directed at UK institutions, the commission said:

The UK government and Electoral Commission have taken concerted action to address abuse towards elected representatives at all levels of government across the UK. […]

Perhaps most significantly, following our recommendation and advocacy from many other bodies, the UK government created dedicated police support for local politicians through Operation Ford. Following the publication of the Defending Democracy policing protocol, the National Strategic Bridger Team worked with forces to recruit force elected official advisors (FEOAs), to cover all regions of the UK. This ensures all MPs, and other elected representatives on a needs basis, have a named police contact for raising concerns and liaising on security. Given the structure is new, we recommend that the government ensures clarity is given to all the institutions responsible for its delivery and that resources are sufficient and fair across the nations and regions.^[52]

The commission’s webpage summarising its recommendations sets out that the following have been adopted:^[53]

• UK government: Government should make any costs associated with candidate safety an exemption to election spending limits. [Adopted]
• UK government: There must be dedicated resources in each local police force to ensure an appropriate, consistent response to support elected representatives across the country. This would enable: increasing the remit of the single point of contact in each police force to include local elected representatives; streamlining implementation of Operation Bridger and enforcement of the single point of contact system; increased capacity for police forces to provide home and venue (surgeries) risk assessments for both MPs and local government elected representatives and facilitate additional security measures if necessary. [Adopted]
• UK Parliament: Written resources should be developed for the families of elected representatives about dealing with abuse. This should include explanations of escalation procedures and clarification of points of contact. [Adopted]
• UK Parliament: Parliamentarians, staff and families must receive clear and specific briefings, including clear guidelines about what communications received by parliamentarians should be reported to police; clear guidance about which bodies are responsible for which aspects of security and a clear explanation about what security arrangements are available; clear guidance about which laws exist to counter abuse of elected representatives. [Adopted]
• UK Parliament: Parliamentarians should be able to claim for the costs associated with addressing abuse and intimidation, including costs associated with wellbeing measures for staff who process/experience abuse. The swift implementation of security measures advised by Operation Bridger. [Adopted]
• College of Policing: On-going training must continue for all police about their responsibilities for dealing with threats against elected representatives. This should include training in the following areas: equalities including particular vulnerabilities related to misogyny and other protected characteristics; the roles and responsibilities of different levels of government; cross-cutting nature of abuse including hate crime.; new legislation, including the Election Act 2022 and the Online Safety Act 2023. [Adopted]
• Electoral Commission: Expand guidance for candidates about the use of social media during the election period, with a specific focus on upholding public confidence in the democratic process. [Adopted]

However, the Jo Cox Civility Commission has stated that whilst “significant progress” had been made it was continuing to campaign for further action.^[54] The commission’s most recent February 2026 report argued that “concerted, further and long-term efforts are needed and possible”.^[55] In this report the commission also said that “people across the ideological spectrum still tell us that their political parties could do more to embed a culture of respect”.

Whilst some of the commission’s recommendations have been noted as adopted on the commission’s website, several have not and others may be in progress. For example, the commission recommended that the UK government should implement section 106 of the Equality Act 2010 which would require political parties to collect and publish anonymised data on the protected characteristics of their election candidates. In answer to a written question on 15 April 2026, the government said it was committed to commencing section 106, and officials in the Office for Equality and Opportunity were examining “when and how” to do so.^[56] The government said officials would consult with political parties and other stakeholders in due course.

Other recommendations are harder to track progress against or quantify, for example that all elected representatives should regularly visit education institutions in their constituencies to raise awareness of their roles.

4. Responses to the issue of the abuse and intimidation of elected representatives

Speaking for the government in April 2025 in answer to an oral question in the House of Lords, Baroness Anderson, baroness in waiting, referred to the Jo Cox Civility Commission’s 2024 report:

All mainstream political parties have engaged and there were 28 recommendations, 12 of which are in progress and seven adopted, and there are three for individual parties to adopt. It is a core part of what we do, and the government have a responsibility, with our Defending Democracy Taskforce, to keep safe those who are brave enough to put their name on the ballot paper.^[57]

4.1 Defending Democracy Taskforce debate

The Defending Democracy Taskforce was established under Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government to “protect the democratic integrity of the UK from threats of foreign interference”.^[58] These threats included:

[…] foreign interference in our elections and electoral processes; disinformation; physical and cyber threats to our democratic institutions and those who represent them; foreign interference in public office, political parties and universities; and transnational repression in the UK.^[59]

On 12 March 2026, in a statement on the taskforce in the House of Commons made in the context of the May 2026 local elections, the then minister for security, Dan Jarvis, said the mandate of the taskforce had been renewed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.^[60] Mr Jarvis said this was to tackle the full spectrum of threats to the UK’s democracy. He said this meant “preventing and deterring harassment”. He said that political expression did not include abuse and intimidation and expressed concern about the scale of the issue:

The work of elected representatives at every level matters. It shapes millions of lives and our country’s future. That is why those entrusted to serve must be able to do so without fear or favour. Free debate and honest disagreement are the lifeblood of democracy, but let me be clear that harassment, intimidation, abuse and violence are not political expression. Today, the volume, breadth and tempo of threats against elected representatives is unprecedented. Colleagues across the House will recognise the grim reality of assaults, vandalism, stalking, blockading and a blizzard of online abuse. This is not theoretical; it affects hon. members, councillors and candidates, and it affects our families and our staff.^[61]

Mr Jarvis also referred to provisions in the Crime and Policing Bill (now the Crime and Policing Act 2026) and the Representation of the People Bill (which has been carried over to the 2026–27 session) that were aimed at addressing the issue:

Where the law fails to provide adequate protection, we will strengthen it. We have seen protests deliberately targeted at private homes, timed to intimidate families and children, and designed to exert pressure through fear. That is why the Crime and Policing Bill introduces a new offence to restrict protests outside the homes of public office holders. Peaceful protest is a cherished right, but the doorstep of a private home is not an appropriate setting for it. In addition, the Representation of the People Bill will introduce a new aggravating factor, empowering courts to hand down longer sentences to reflect the seriousness of crimes committed against those who serve our democracy, whether elected representatives, candidates, their staff, campaigners or electoral officials.^[62]

In closing his statement, Mr Jarvis quoted the words of Jo Cox:

History shows us that our democracy is precious, so today, together we should draw a line, declaring with one voice that we will not be deterred from serving the public, and we will never tolerate abuse, threats and intimidation. Together we will confront unacceptable behaviour, hold perpetrators to account, and defend our democratic way of life. In doing so, we honour the words of Jo Cox, who taught us that we “have far more in common than that which divides us”.^[63]

Speaking for the Conservative Party in response to Dan Jarvis’s statement, Katie Lam, opposition assistant whip, described protecting and upholding democracy as a “sacred duty” on MPs.^[64] She said intimidation could be a serious impediment to democracy but there was a duty to ensure that policing of the issue did not move into policing free speech:

Targeted and serious intimidation of democratically elected politicians, particularly where that intimidation escalates into credible physical threats, is a serious impediment to the functioning of our democracy. It is of course right that criminal behaviour is prosecuted and punished. At the same time, we have a duty to ensure that the policing of genuinely criminal behaviour does not stray into the policing of free speech or free expression. In individual cases, that can be a challenging balance to strike, and I trust that the minister will approach those cases with the appropriate caution and sensitivity.^[65]

Max Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for home affairs, said Dan Jarvis was “right to highlight the importance of protecting politicians at every level of our democracy”.^[66] He said:

We must ensure that the horror of what happened to Jo Cox and Sir David Amess never happens again, and that representatives at every level feel secure when they are discharging their democratic duties. Many members, particularly women and those from minority backgrounds, have received death threats and harassment, and fear for their families. Having experienced threats myself—not from radical Islamists, but from right-wing extremists—I know how important these protections are. As the MP for Cheltenham, I also remember the bravery of Andrew Pennington, who died defending my late friend Nigel Jones [former MP for Cheltenham, later Lord Jones of Cheltenham] in an attack on the Cheltenham Liberal Democrat office.^[67]

4.2 Speaker’s Conference on the security of candidates, MPs and elections

In October 2024, the House of Commons agreed a motion to establish a committee, known as the Speaker’s Conference, to look at the issue of the security of candidates, MPs and elections.^[68] The conference considered:

• the factors influencing the threat levels against candidates and MPs
• the effectiveness of the response to such threats

The conference published two reports, one in June 2025 and one in October 2025.^[69] The government’s response to both reports was published on 5 March 2026.^[70] Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle said together the reports “set out more than 60 recommendations to tackle the serious and wholly unacceptable levels of abuse and intimidation faced by politicians”.^[71]

In its response to the conference, the government set out recent actions that had been undertaken on the security of MPs, candidates and elections, including:^[72]

• renewing the mandate of the Defending Democracy Taskforce, with a key priority being the harassment and intimidation of elected representatives
• investing £31mn ahead of the 2024 general election “to boost police capacity and provide bespoke private security for those most at risk”
• additional Home Office funding to support a new police assessment team “to improve intelligence gathering and consistency in responses to crimes against locally elected representatives”
• guidance from the College of Policing which “will ensure clear investigative frameworks and use of powers”
• the publication of the government’s ‘Strategy for modern and secure elections’^[73]

5. Read more

• Debate on ‘Legacy of Jo Cox’, HC Hansard, 11 June 2026, cols 476–535
• House of Commons Library, ‘The legacy of Jo Cox’, 5 June 2026
• QSD on ‘Local councillors: Recruitment, retention and well-being’, HL Hansard, 4 June 2026, cols 27–43GC
• House of Lords Library, ‘Local councillors: Impact of increasing abuse and intimidation’, 20 May 2026
• House of Commons Library, ‘Intimidation of candidates and voters’, 30 March 2026
• Debate on ‘Community cohesion’, HC Hansard, 3 March 2026, cols 283–307WH
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, ‘Abuse and intimidation in politics is threatening democracy in Scotland and across the UK new report finds’, 23 February 2026
• Oral question on ‘Security of candidates, MPs and elections’, HL Hansard, 12 February 2026, cols 307–9
• Local Government Association, ‘Four nations unite to advocate for civility in public life’, 21 October 2025
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, ‘Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections’, 17 July 2025
• House of Lords Library, ‘The importance of social cohesion and communities’, 29 November 2024
• Debate on ‘Social cohesion and community during periods of change’, HL Hansard, 6 December 2024, cols 1389–454
• Electoral Commission, ‘Research reveals unacceptable abuse and intimidation towards election candidates’, 4 June 2024
• BBC News, ‘Jo Cox Foundation: Abuse of politicians is a threat to democracy, report says’, 24 January 2024
• Jo Cox Foundation, ‘Report: Moment to movement’, 21 November 2023
• Local Government Association, ‘Debate not hate: The impact of abuse of local democracy’, 28 June 2022

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