Cheshire East has unanimously backed the Debate Not Hate Campaign and called on the government to set up a working group to tackle the abuse and intimidation of elected representatives.

Council leader Sam Corcoran (Sandbach, Lab) described the law as a 'blunt instrument' when it came to dealing with people who targeted politicians.

Cllr Sam Corcoran

"Although a Middlewich resident has recently been found guilty of harassing a Labour councillor, the law is a blunt instrument here and rarely effective," he told Wednesday's meeting of the full council at Tatton Park.

"What many councillors are experiencing is unacceptable."

Deputy leader Craig Browne (Alderley Edge, Ind) said: "A member of my own political group has had life threats made against her with comments such as 'if you see her out on a bicycle run the bitch over'."

The chamber sat in silence, horrified, as two Cheshire East councillors – one Labour and one Conservative – related their experiences.

Cllr James Barber (Lab) told how as soon as he was elected in 2019 at the age of 18 'my opponents were already heard mocking the age of myself and Cllr [Rob] Vernon'.

Cllr James Barber

"I've had images of my face photoshopped on to baby's bodies, vitriol spewed at me for my age over social media and abuse from all sides. Even on election day an aggressive resident accused me of being a Nazi before calling for me to be publicly hung for being a Labour councillor," he said.

The Macclesfield councillor said he had been mocked about his mental health.

"To fear being able to live a normal life alongside your elected duties is enough to put anybody off standing for election, let alone a young person," said Cllr Barber.

He added: "I will be standing down and not standing for re-election next May because of my experiences."

Cllr Charlotte Leach (Mobberley, Con) told the council how she finally accepted she needed help from the police when she found herself hiding to escape her stalker.

"In 2020 I was followed by an individual and stalked on public transport on my commute into work. This was a genuinely terrifying experience and left me constantly anxious and avoiding leaving the office in the evenings so that I could avoid my stalker," she said.

"It was only when I found myself hiding behind a pillar at Manchester Piccadilly Station that I accepted I needed to ask for help from the police.

"This individual found me online and began to message me across a number of platforms. At the time I lived alone and perhaps hadn't appreciated how potentially dangerous it was having my home address on the council's website when that information could end up in the wrong hands. I have subsequently had this removed."

Regarding another disturbing incident, she said: "I was contacted by an individual last October who was masturbating down the phone at me.

"Thankfully this individual was traced by the police and I truly hope he never harms another woman again."

She thanked the police who, she said, had been fantastic.

Both councillors were applauded by the chamber for publicly telling their stories.

Wilmslow councillor Lata Anderson (Ind) said she had seen an increase in racial abuse in recent years and said the way politicians, followed by newspapers, 'demonise economic migrants or asylum seekers has led some people to believe it's OK to be racist'.

"As someone who is second generation migrant, I'm proud of my heritage I shouldn't feel ashamed of it, but people do make us feel bad," she said.

"And people take their lead from us, the politicians, so I would ask all members to be more considerate of the words they use…

"The words we say have consequences and I think we should keep that in mind and we should debate, but in a way that doesn't cause harm to others."

Councillors were unanimous in backing the Local Government Association's Debate Not Hate campaign.