Midlothian Council Jo Cox civility pledge

That this House acknowledges the positive action taken by Midlothian Council Leader Kelly Parry, Provost Debbi McCall and Chief Executive Dr Grace Vickers in endorsing the Jo Cox Civility campaign and signing the pledge on behalf of all Midlothian councillors to run a respectful election campaign; recognises that the pledge actioned by the Jo Cox Foundation was launched in memory of Labour MP Jo Cox who was sadly murdered outside her constituency surgery in Birstall in 2016 because of her political beliefs a week before the EU referendum; further recognises that this campaign is to tackle all forms of abuse and intimidation against elected representatives and to highlight that everyone has the right to express their views without fear of harassment or threat; notes that in 2022, Local Government Association research found that seven out of 10 councillors had experienced abuse in the previous year; and further notes that abuse can make elected representatives feel they need to step down and put potential future candidates off standing altogether, which fully demonstrates the importance of signing the pledge which commits parties and candidates to set a respectful tone when campaigning, promote constructive debate and defend the dignity of others.