British local leaders face rising threat levels and hostility

UPDATE - follow-up to 'A man threatened to shoot me': the abuse pushing UK councillors out of politics - theguardian.com: Local politicians across the United Kingdom face a sharp rise in threats and harassment, driving many elected officials to quit their public service roles. Councillors report facing direct acts of intimidation, including physical threats of gun violence, while trying to carry out their everyday community duties. This growing wave of hostility creates serious concerns about the safety of local democracy and makes it much harder for towns and cities to find people willing to run for public office.