A man in his 20s has been arrested after allegedly posting a death threat on social media warning Nigel Farage: “I am going to shoot you in the head if you win.” The arrest, carried out on Tuesday by Metropolitan Police officers at a residential address in south London, came six days after Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe was killed at her Devon home – a death now being investigated by counter-terror police.
The suspect was held on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a Member of Parliament and was bailed on Wednesday pending further inquiries, the Met said. The post in question was made on X and reported to police on 8 May, the day after local and mayoral elections. Detectives had to apply to the social media platform for the user’s contact information before making the arrest.
“Man arrested over social media threat to shoot Nigel Farage; post warned 'I am going to shoot you in the head'.”
Farage, who formally resigned as MP for Clacton last week, said: “This is the first time the police have ever proactively acted on a social media post, and I hope they are looking at the other three or four hundred similar posts from this year alone.” He told the Daily Telegraph that threats, including videos of people firing guns, had been reported repeatedly but were always dismissed as not meeting the threshold.
The Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team informed Farage of the arrest on Wednesday. Police told him it could take several weeks to examine seized digital devices. Meanwhile, Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, announced at a press conference that if the party were in government it would provide “round-the-clock protection” for all MPs. Yusuf said Farage “lives his life under the ever-present threat of mortal danger” and called on those who “question his need for security should stop.”