Mum pulls out of council by-election after her teenage son is harassed

A mum who set up an anti-bullying campaign following her daughter's death has pulled out of a political race after her son was verbally abused.

Nicola Harteveld withdrew as a candidate in a Pembrokeshire council by-election after two men in their 40s or 50s shouted at her 14-year-old son using an expletive to describe her standing for Welsh Labour.

Harteveld set up the Megan's Starr Foundation after her daughter's suicide in 2017 to support young people affected by mental health issues or bullying.

The by-election for the Milford Haven Hakin ward takes place on 17 March, and Dyfed-Powys Police said "enquiries into the incident are ongoing".

"I've spent nine years spreading the message of be kind, that words hurt, but my family has to come first," she said.

After targeting her son on 20 February near their home, the men used an offensive swear word in describing Harteveld as "Labour loving".

"This was a jeer from two so-called men to a child," she said.

"Regardless of intention people don't understand words can hurt and can do damage.

"My son was really frightened."

Harteveld explained how he initially didn't tell his mum what had happened, fearing it may lead to her dropping out.

"I don't mind if it's directed at myself because I put myself forward, but I didn't put my children forward," she added.

"With this happening when my son was also 14, the similarity [to Megan] was too much.

"Words took Megan from us."

Harteveld said she made the decision to pull out before she even started campaigning.

"If that's people's mindset where they can say on the street to someone, to a child, words like that then I'm not prepared for my family to be subject to that," she added.

It was behaviour she didn't expect to encounter, believing councillors are working on community issues, not party politics.

Harteveld had been a town councillor in Milford Haven for three years, and had realised she would need "broad shoulders" to run as a Welsh Labour candidate in a county council election.

But she was encouraged to try when the Labour First Minister Eluned Morgan visited her charity.

She put her name forward a to run in the Hakin ward after the passing of Mike Stoddart, who had held the seat from 2004.

Harteveld believes experiences such as her family's intimidate women from being involved in politics.

"These kinds of things stop really good candidates from coming forward," she added.

"It makes me really frustrated that there are fantastic women all over the country and we need women in politics.

"We need women's perspective."

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: "As a party, Welsh Labour is saddened that Nicola has had to take the decision due to abuse directed at her and her family. That's not politics, it's intimidation.

"Welsh Labour does not condone harassment and intimidation of any political candidate, elected representative or their families.

"This incident has been reported to Dyfed-Powys Police and it has been logged as a criminal offence of harassment. Police investigations are under way."

The spokesperson added politics should be about "ideas and service to our communities, not personal attacks or abuse".

"We should be encouraging more people to stand, not driving them away," they said.

The women's rights organisation Merched Cymru said: "Democracy relies upon our being able to engage in public debate and discussion without personal attacks and harassment, and women's representation in politics is vital for an equal society.

"No political candidate should have to put up with this, but women in public life face particularly high levels of abuse.

"This harassment aims to silence women. It's particularly disturbing to hear of abuse of a child being used to attack a female politician."

Other candidates standing in the by-election are Sam Booth from the Wales Green Party, Welsh Conservative Brian Taylor, Scott Thorley from Reform UK, Welsh Liberal Democrat Sam Warden as well as three independents, Derrick Abbott, Lee James Bridges and Duncan Edwards.