Online Safety Act 2023: Online Hate and Racism

Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames Excerpts

Wednesday 5th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

The noble and learned Baroness raises a really important point. We know from the Speaker’s Conference that the security of MPs, and indeed candidates and other representatives both running for and elected to office, is a concern. Concern about that is at an all-time high. Among MPs who have experienced abusive language and insults, 93% have experienced this online. The Local Government Association’s latest survey found that 52% of councillors have had untrue or misleading information spread about them, and 64% of councillors have experienced abuse online. That is why, in the Crime and Policing Bill, public officeholders, including MPs, Peers and local councillors, will be better protected from harassment and intimidation in terms of restricting protests outside their houses.

[Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames (LD)]

My Lords, there has been considerable improvement in recent years within the police in combating racism, but recent reviews and some events have shown that there is some way to go. Does the Minister agree that successful enforcement of the Online Safety Act and other legislation in this area needs a complete commitment to diversity and equality throughout all enforcement agencies? Can he describe what training is in place in the enforcement agencies to ensure this?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I agree completely with the noble Lord’s point. It is impossible without proper training, guidance and an understanding of diversity in an organisation and as experienced by a whole organisation, for effective and correct enforcement of harassment and discriminatory abuse offences. I will have to write to him with detail of the regimes undertaken by Ofcom, but I can say, for instance, on the police, that there is an authorised professional practice guide produced by the National Police Chiefs’ Council in conjunction with the College of Policing. It sets out the latest expectations around policing protests. The protest operational advice document is regularly updated and helps those people on the front line enforcing our expectations of protecting communities—what is race hate and what is not race hate?