Ex-Blackburn councillor condemns election 'hooliganism'

Independent safeguarding advisor Saima Afzal came to Blackburn with Darwen's full Council Forum on Thursday night to highlight 'unseemly, coercive and divisive' behaviour' by campaigners in the run-up to both polls.

Ms Afzal, who represented Blackburn Central ward from 2018 and 2021, questioned authority leader Cllr Phil Riley on the issue.

The former assistant police and crime commissioner told him: "The recent local and general elections have unearthed a series of concerns for me, not least the unseemly behaviour of several elected councillors and locally known 'political activists'.

"So not randomly unknown persons on social media, but persons well-known locally, many of whom have displayed or engaged with unacceptable behaviours which I can only categorise as political hooliganism.

"I have observed these behaviours both during the local and general election campaigns and outside polling stations.

Council leader Phil Riley said some people's behaviour 'harmed the democratic process'

"Therefore the local 53 per cent low does not, sadly, shock me in any way. Yet political activists are claiming their respective campaigning was inclusive.

"I have observed locally during the 2024 local and general elections a catalogue of behaviours that I would describe as coercive, insidious and divisive tactics - all of which in my view undermine the legitimacy of the UK political processes.

"For example, memes, oratory and videos discouraging votes for non-Muslims and 'outsiders'.

"The use of language that can be described as xenophobic, language which is 'othering, dehumanising' and for example categorising any person who votes for the Labour of the Conservative Party as a 'sinner'.

"The implications of calling someone a 'sinner' are significant for believers and followers of Islam.

"The word 'sinner' is not just a word. It is a loaded phrase denoting sanctions, severe reprisals and punishment from no other than the 'Almighty'.

"For me, the low turnouts are indicative of a whole range of factors including a lack of trust, voter disillusionment, and fear of being categorised as a 'sinner'."

Ms Afzal, a former chair of the council's audit and standards committee, also backed the proposal, unanimously backed by the meeting, to subject elected councillors to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks to ensure they had no criminal convictions.

Cllr Riley said: "The low turnout is obviously a concern although in fairness it wasn't just in Blackburn with Darwen. It was a national phenomenon.

"It doesn't reflect well on the democratic process, and neither does the process of insulting and using social media to attack people who've done nothing more than simply put their names forward to stand in an election.

"We are very much concerned here that the treatment that some people have received over the last few months, particularly over the election period, will clearly put people off from standing again.

"I think it will be particularly harmful and distressing to women."