LONDON (AP) — London police announced Wednesday that a man has been taken into custody after allegedly threatening to shoot Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform UK political party, in a social media post made back in May.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of sending threatening messages to a member of Parliament. The Telegraph newspaper reported that the alleged threat read: “I am going to shoot you in the head if you win.”
The arrest comes as concerns about the safety of politicians in the United Kingdom continue to mount, particularly following the July 8 killing of Ann Widdecombe, a former member of Parliament and fellow Reform UK member, at her rural home in southwest England.
Widdecombe was widely known in British political circles for her outspoken socially conservative positions, including her opposition to abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights. Her death has rattled the British political establishment, and the Reform UK party has since called for stronger protections for its members.
The investigation into Widdecombe’s death was taken over by counterterrorism police after new evidence came to light. Devon and Cornwall Police have faced criticism for initially stating that the killing did not appear to be terror-related and showed no signs of political motivation.
The man arrested in connection with the Farage threat was held overnight before being released on bail, police said.
Separately, Farage recently stepped down from his seat in Parliament amid an investigation into a 5 million pound — roughly $6.7 million — gift he received from a cryptocurrency billionaire that was not publicly disclosed. Farage has said the funds were intended to cover his personal security costs.
Despite resigning, Farage is now seeking re-election to that same parliamentary seat in an upcoming vote, saying he wants to demonstrate that he still holds the confidence of his constituents. Critics, however, have called the move a calculated attempt to sidestep the ongoing parliamentary investigation.
