A man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a Member of Parliament, specifically related to a post on X that threatened to shoot Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Arrest details
The individual was apprehended on Tuesday, July 14, in connection with a social media message from May, during the local elections period, which stated: 'I am going to shoot you in the head if you win', according to the Telegraph.
Mr Farage officially stepped down as MP for Clacton last week, but was serving in that role when the alleged offence took place.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed in a statement: "On Tuesday, July 14 a man in his 20s was arrested by Met officers on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a Member of Parliament."
Investigation process
The arrest relates to a social media post from earlier this year, reported to police on Friday, May 8. After receiving the report, detectives submitted an application to a social media platform to gain access to the user's contact information.
"After the relevant information was returned to detectives the man was arrested, with support from local Met officers, at a residential address in south London. After being held in police custody overnight, he has since been bailed pending further enquiries," the Met added.
Context of rising threats
The arrest emerged following the murder of Reform spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead at her Devon home on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries. Counter-terrorism officers are examining whether the individual intended to target Reform UK parliamentarians. Politicians from all sides have voiced alarm over the security of serving and former MPs.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage revealed he has encountered numerous threats via social media "for years". He 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 added: "This has been going on for years – not just words but videos of people firing guns and so on, and in the past we have put multiple reports in to the police, always to be told that these social media posts don't meet the threshold, which is extraordinary."
Broader implications
Farage also referenced other incidents: "It's about the comedian Jo Brand joking about throwing battery acid in my face, it's about Noel Fielding telling people to stab me, and if the police now decide to act to protect the lives of serving and ex-politicians, then at least something good will have come out of Ann's horrific death."
