Committee publication · Special Report · 5 March 2026 · HC 1709
1st Special Report: Speaker’s Conference on the security of MPs, candidates and elections: Government Response
From: Speaker's Conference (2024)
Inquiry: Speaker’s Conference on the security of candidates, MPs and elections
Summary
This is the Government's response to two reports by the Speaker's Conference on security threats to MPs, candidates, and elections. Published March 2025, it details the Government's position on 40+ recommendations spanning campaign codes of conduct, police planning, electoral law reform, criminal justice measures, and online safety. The Government accepts most recommendations and outlines actions taken or planned, including legislative changes, new policing guidance, and protective security arrangements.
Key findings
- Government supports establishing a campaign code of conduct for all parties by May 2026 elections, viewing it as non-partisan safeguarding.
- Over half of candidates faced abuse at last general election; nearly all MPs have experienced harassment—described as 'unacceptable' and threatening to democracy.
- Home Office introduced Op REGENCY providing private security to 206 candidates at 532 events in 2024; to be continued as default for future general elections.
- Government partially accepts electoral law review, committing to remove publication of candidates' home addresses, introduce ID checks, and clarify Section 106 on false statements including AI/deepfakes.
- Defending Democracy Taskforce, chaired by Security Minister, coordinates whole-of-government response; new aggravating sentencing factor and disqualification order monitoring to be implemented.
- Government recognises failures in sharing candidate contact details with police during elections; will create optional additional form at nomination for police access.
Government position
The Government accepts or partially accepts the vast majority of the Speaker's Conference's recommendations. It views threat reduction as a priority and has already taken or committed to take concrete action across all themes: establishing campaign conduct codes, expanding protective security arrangements (Op REGENCY), reforming electoral law (candidate address publication, ID checks, Section 106 clarification), strengthening police guidance and coordination through the Defending Democracy Taskforce, introducing new aggravating sentencing factors for crimes targeting elected representatives, and improving data collection on disqualification orders. On electoral law review, the Government partially accepts—agreeing to remove home address publication and introduce ID checks, but declining to expand Section 106 beyond personal conduct/character to political statements, citing protection of robust political debate. It commits to guidance development with police, CPS, and Electoral Commission to clarify criminal thresholds and ensure consistent implementation.
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
Speaker's Conference (2024), UK Government, Home Office, Electoral Commission, National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), Parliamentary Security Department (PSD), Crown Prosecution Service, Defending Democracy Taskforce
Notable line
“No one should be deterred from standing for public office due to safety concerns. Harassment of politicians undermines democracy and risks silencing voices.”
Key Quotes
“The murders of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess were not isolated tragedies; they shocked Parliament and our democracy, leaving grief and fear that now shape political discourse.”
“At the last general election, over half of candidates faced abuse or intimidation, and nearly all MPs have experienced it. This is unacceptable.”
“We take these threats incredibly seriously. While protective measures exist, more must be done to ensure voters, candidates, and election staff feel safe.”
“For the first time ever, in the 2024 General Election, the Home Office provided a Private Security offering for all Parliamentary candidates called Op REGENCY.”
“… we aim to continue to provide it to candidates for UK parliamentary elections going forwards.”
“Robust political debate and freedom of expression is a fundamental part of our democracy. Including political statements within this offence would place a significant burden on the courts to act as de facto fact checkers during elections and would unnecessarily …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗