Laura Murtagh, an independent councillor on Falkirk Council, has faced a wave of violent threats following her proposal for a 15.6% increase in council tax, the largest in Scotland this year. The abuse directed towards her included messages suggesting she deserved physical harm and came from both strangers online and people known to her personally. Despite the backlash, Murtagh stood by her decision, emphasizing that the rise in council tax was necessary to safeguard education services in the area.
The threats received by Murtagh have been so concerning that she has kept some of them as evidence, in case she needs to involve the police in the future. The abuse extended beyond criticism of her proposal, with comments targeting her appearance and weight. Speaking on the Scotcast podcast, Murtagh expressed how overwhelmed she felt by the negative response, particularly when faced with threats of violence and invasion of privacy from individuals who know where she lives.
In light of the abuse she has endured, Murtagh’s ordeal is not an isolated incident, as a survey by Holyrood magazine revealed that many female MSPs in Scotland have been subjected to online abuse, including threats of rape and death, as well as misogynistic comments. Despite the SNP’s control of Falkirk Council, Murtagh’s motion for a 15.6% council tax increase prevailed over the SNP’s proposal for a 13.7% rise. She emphasized that the additional revenue generated by the higher tax rate would help preserve essential local services that the community values deeply.
Sharing her distress over the situation, Murtagh disclosed how the abuse had not only impacted her but also her family, leading her to advise her teenage daughter to ignore any negative remarks she might hear at school. While initially a member of the SNP, Murtagh distanced herself from the party in 2023, citing the challenges of navigating local decision-making within the confines of party politics. As councils across Scotland have introduced above-inflation tax rises this year after years of frozen or capped rates, Murtagh’s experience underscores the difficult choices faced by local authorities in balancing the need for increased funding with public service demands
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