Committee publication · Correspondence · 6 November 2025

Letter, dated 4 November 2025, from the Electoral Commission to the Speaker in response to the Conference's Second Report

From: Speaker's Conference (2024)

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

Summary

The Electoral Commission's chair writes to the Speaker thanking the Speaker's Conference for its report on candidate security and abuse. The Commission outlines its alignment with the report's recommendations, detailing work on democratic education, research into abusive behaviour, police coordination improvements, social media platform accountability, and candidate support measures ahead of May 2026 elections.

Key findings

Electoral Commission is scaling up democratic education through multi-year project, developing citizenship curriculum framework with focus on oracy and media literacy for young people before they vote.
Commission research found candidates received inconsistent police support during last general election; some designated SPOC officers provided no contact even in contested constituencies with reported threats.
Commission is developing deepfake detection tool with Home Office's Accelerated Capability Environment and private sector partners to help parties and campaigners respond to electoral deepfake material.
Commission plans to strengthen existing non-statutory code of conduct on campaign behaviour in consultation with parties, campaigners, and Government, rather than introducing a new code.
Commission will publish candidate support hub for May 2026 elections and add police contact form to nomination packs to enable emergency information sharing with candidates.

Tone

Supportive

Topics

election-securitycandidate-safetydemocratic-educationonline-abusepolicing

Key actors

Electoral Commission, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, John Pullinger, Department for Education, Ofcom, College of Policing, NPCC, Jo Cox Foundation

Notable line

“Addressing abuse is one of the key strategic objectives outlined in our Corporate Plan that was approved by Parliament in March.”

Key Quotes

“The Commission is well placed to deliver many of the actions outlined in your report and stands ready to assist you in protecting elections and making candidates safer.”
— John Pullinger, Chair · offering Electoral Commission support to Speaker's Conference recommendations

“We strongly share the view that education must be part of tackling abuse, and that citizenship education should be reformed, preparing young people to participate in our democracy.”
— John Pullinger, Chair · on the role of education in preventing abuse

“Our research has indicated that candidates have received inconsistent support from police forces when reporting abuse.”
— John Pullinger, Chair · describing findings on police coordination gaps during general election

“It is important avoid multiple codes, so think the existing, non-statutory code should be strengthened, rather than introducing a brand-new code.”
— John Pullinger, Chair · on approach to campaign conduct regulation

“We think social media platforms should take proactive steps to reduce abuse and intimidation, not promote misleading information, and be more transparent for users.”
— John Pullinger, Chair · on platform accountability for electoral abuse

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗