Nigel Farage threat: Police arrest man who said he’d shoot Reform UK party leader
The arrest came less than a week after the murder of fellow Reform UK member Ann Widdecombe.
A man who threatened on social media in May to shoot Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage was arrested as concerns grow over the security of politicians following the killing of Ann Widdecombe, a former member of Parliament, London police said Wednesday.
The man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of sending threatening communications to an MP, the Metropolitan Police said.
“I am going to shoot you in the head if you win,” he allegedly told Mr Farage on X, according to the Telegraph newspaper.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The July 8 killing of Widdecombe, who was a member of the anti-immigration Reform UK, has led the party to call for better protection of its members.
The suspect was held overnight and released on bail, police said.
British counter-terror police said Widdecombe was killed in a “targeted attack,” though the motivation is still under investigation.
A 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder and terror crimes remains in custody on an extended detention warrant under the Terrorism Act that allows police to question him for up to another week.
“It is clear that this was a targeted attack,” Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing told reporters on Tuesday. “We are still working to understand the extent of any planning or preparation, and the motivation that sits behind that attack.”
