New legislation means activists in England and Wales could face up to six months in prison for protesting outside the homes of MPs, councillors and those who have stood for public office. The proposed measure, which is part of amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, seeks to address what ministers have described as rising harassment and intimidation against politicians  

Home Office sources say the amendment would create a specific criminal offence for intimidating public officials in their private lives. Security Minister Dan Jarvis calls the measure a ‘necessary and proportionate step’ adding that such actions ‘cross a line, its intimidation, not protest’. 

The proposed changes follow a surge in complaints from politicians. The Guardian reports the findings of a survey by Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the House of Commons, which found that 96% of MPs had experienced harassment and intimidation. Several MPs, including Tobias Ellwood and Stella Creasy, have spoken out after being targeted at their family homes. The Jo Cox Foundation, established in memory of the murdered Labour MP, reportedly welcomed the change, saying protests should not cross into intimidation.  

The amendment aligns with wider changes proposed under the Crime and Policing Bill, which expands police powers to manage protests. According to a Home Office announcement on the 5th of October 2025, police forces will be allowed to consider the ‘cumulative impact’ of repeated protests when imposing restrictions. The Bill also includes measures such as banning the possession of fireworks at protests, criminalising the climbing of war memorials, and prohibiting the use of face coverings to conceal identity.  

Civil liberties groups have warned that these changes risk eroding the right to protest. Akiko Hart, Director of Human rights charity Liberty, argued that  ‘handing police even more powers would undermine our rights further while failing to keep people safe,’ and stressed the importance of the right to protest.  

The new proposals follow a broader trend of expanding police powers over demonstrations, criticised by campaigners as increasingly restrictive. Earlier reviews, including the 2024 Protecting our Democracy from Coercion report, were described by rights groups as ‘draconian and undemocratic’ for recommending tighter controls on protest activity.