Yvette Cooper says ‘disgraceful scenes’ of election candidate abuse must end

Yvette Cooper said some incidents of harassment were being investigated by the police. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

An alarming rise in candidate intimidation during the UK’s general election campaign will be addressed next week at a meeting of ministers and civil servants, the home secretary has said.

Yvette Cooper said there had been “disgraceful scenes” in some areas in the run-up to the 4 July vote, as she announced she would chair a meeting of the defending democracy taskforce.