‘It’s like proper gangland stuff’

Councillor Josh Charters had just returned from walking his dog, Korinna, and was getting ready for bed with his partner, when a stranger in a balaclava set fire to his car. 

The incident on Tuesday night, Jan 13, saw fire crew and police called to his home on Ripponden Road, buses diverted and coun Charters’ beloved Mini Cooper Sport condemned to the scrapyard. 

GMP assumed the incident was a ‘targeted attack’. And it’s not the first time a councillor’s vehicle has been firebombed in Oldham. 

In 2021, council leader Arooj Shah’s car was set alight in a ‘reckless and abhorrent act’, damaging the car and a neighbouring property. 

The car of an independent candidate, who has since stepped down for undisclosed reasons, was also recently found ablaze.  

And there have been other alleged incidents in Oldham’s chequered political history: death threats and racial abuse left on voicemails; angry mobs turning up outside private homes; online bullying and harassment, including sexualised deepfakes. 

Becoming a councillor in Oldham is not for the faint-hearted. 

But as the country gears up for another local election this May, the borough is encountering another problem. 

“There are people who have told me directly they won’t stand in Oldham because they’re scared about the abuse they’ll get,” a senior council source said. “We’re losing out on really talented, caring councillors because they’re too intimidated to stand.” 

“It’s like proper gangland stuff,” added Lib Dem councillor Helen Bishop, agreeing that the aggression towards public servants puts candidates off in the borough. “It discourages decent people, though not scoundrels. It affects the quality of choices you have on the ballot paper at the election.”

Of course, there are plenty of council-hopefuls who are running because they believe they can make a difference in their wards. But the pool of volunteers is thinning, according to some of the major parties. 

Oldham isn’t entirely unique. A nationwide survey conducted by the Local Government Chronicle recently found that more than four fifths of councillors report difficulty finding candidates for local elections. 

Around 85 pc said this was due to online abuse, and 78 pc due to in-person abuse. 

But the borough does find itself at the sharp end of the problem. The extensive safety measures installed at the new townhall are a testament to the level of fear experienced by town hall leadership: many of the offices have bullet-proof security doors. 

Cllr Charters didn’t want to comment further about the incident with his car, which he says he ‘wants to put behind him’ for him and his partner’s sake. Though he made it very clear that he ‘refused to be intimidated’ and would carry on fulfilling his councillor duties. 

Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council & Oldham Labour Group said: “I was saddened and shocked to hear about this incident. While we don’t yet know the reasons for this attack what we do know is that the dehumanisation of politicians – reducing real people to targets for anger or abuse – creates a culture where threats and intimidation are becoming more common. This is unacceptable.

“If you witness or experience threats, harassment or violence, please report it to the police so it can be properly investigated. And we ask everyone in our community to take a stand: challenge abusive behaviour when you see it, call out the dehumanising language that fuels hostility, and support those who volunteer to serve.

“Democracy depends on people, and people depend on each other to keep it safe.”

A spokesperson from Oldham Council said: “We are aware of the incident that has been reported to the police, and we understand that it is currently the subject of an active investigation.

“The safety of elected members is a priority for the council. We work closely with Greater Manchester Police and other partners to support councillors, including providing personal safety advice, guidance on security measures where appropriate, and clear routes for reporting any threats, harassment or concerns.

“We would encourage anyone who experiences intimidation, threats or criminal behaviour to report this to the police so it can be properly investigated.”

GMP are still investigating the arson outside Cllr Charters’ house and have appealed for witnesses.