Debate Not Hate Survey 2023

In June 2023, the Local Government Association sent an online survey to councillors in England and Wales, to investigate the extent to which they had experienced abuse or intimidation and for comparison with questions on this topic included in the 2022 Councillors’ Census. It should be noted that the Councillors’ Census was a more general data collection exercise which was not targeted at this issue in particular, which might explain some of the differences in results summarised in this report. A total of 815 councillors responded – a response rate of five per cent. The responding councillors represented a wide cross-section of political affiliations and levels of experience.