Claire Sully demands kinder politics after huge spike in hate crime

On the eve of Pride Month, Claire Sully says there’s no place for hate after figures revealed hate crime in Avon and Somerset has soared in the last seven years.

The Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate is calling for a new, kinder politics at this general election and beyond, asserting that politicians have a responsibility in moderating their language in order to reduce the astounding levels of hate crime recorded in recent years.

Figures from the Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner show a total of 5,653 hate crimes were recorded in 2023/24, up from 3,483 in 2017, a rise of more than 62%, while the headline figure represents an increase of 10% on the year prior.

The overwhelming majority of hate crimes are racially motivated. A total of 3,571 racially-motivated hate crimes were recorded during the last year, a rise of nearly 50% on 2017, while the number of hate crimes towards disabled people have increased by more than 80%, totalling 774 in 2023/24.

The biggest rise in hate crime in Avon and Somerset is transphobic-related, with the number of recorded hate crimes in this area having risen a staggering 182% on seven years ago.

Pride Month, a celebration of the LBGTQ+ community, begins on June 1 and Claire said the latest figures, released by the Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner after a freedom of information request, demonstrate a shocking trend in rising hate towards minority groups, calling on politicians of all leanings to demand a kinder approach to politics.

“These new figures showing soaring hate crime in Avon & Somerset are extremely worrying,” Claire said.

“As politicians, we set the narrative and have a responsibility to moderate our language and foster an inclusive, tolerant society. Vulnerable groups have been increasingly let down by the words of some politicians in recent years. There is no place for hate in our communities.”