The democratic labour of MPs’ staff and family ‘inner circle’ in addressing political violence in the UK

Political violence threatens the functioning of ‘stable’ democracies, including the UK. In the last nine years, two MPs have been murdered and a growing body of research demonstrates the growing prevalence of abuse, including in-person harassment and gendered online threats. While much scholarship focuses on the roles of politicians as victims and policymakers, this research centres the role of MPs’ staff and family ‘inner circle.’ My innovative theoretical and multi-method qualitative study explores how these actors’ democratic labour to address political violence can potentially reduce the impacts on the MPs and, as such, mitigate harms to democracy. The driving research question is: ‘How can we understand the role of MPs’ staff and family in addressing political violence?’ Sub-research questions include: ‘How do MPs’ staff and families understand and execute their role in addressing political violence against their employer or family member?’ and ‘How do these actions of staff and families influence the impact of political violence on MPs?’ Nascent research suggests that political staff may act as mediators and first responders to the violence experienced by politicians. What is even less researched is how family members may play a crucial role in MPs’ security, such as dealing with security in the home and liaising with security authorities. I theorise that MPs’ staff and family members take on significant labour to address political violence which can mitigate the ‘chilling impact’ on MPs’ political participation To explore, test and develop this theory, I will conduct a multi-method qualitative study. Drawing on Feminist Institutionalism, this research will explore the formal and informal ‘rules of the game’ in relation to how staff and families report, interact with violence targeted to politicians. The methodology will be thematic analysis of original, in-depth interviews and focus groups of staff and families of current and former (last 5 years) MPs, and MPs themselves. As well as contributing to the growing field of political violence in democracies, this study will deepen our scholarship of democratic institutions more broadly.