Labour MP Natalie Fleet has issued a grovelling apology after deleting a tweet that accused Nigel Farage of 'faux outrage' following the suspected murder of Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe. Fleet, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, had posted a now-deleted message in which she criticised Farage and his 'gang of bin men' for what she described as disingenuous concerns about security threats after Widdecombe's death.
Details of the Deleted Tweet
The deleted post read: 'Nigel Farage and his gang of bin men get the same security as the rest of us. Sick of the faux outrage. None of them cared when a senior Reform UK politician was sharing my death threats!' The tweet sparked immediate backlash, prompting Fleet to delete it and issue a public apology.
In a subsequent post, she wrote: 'Apologies for offence caused by my earlier tweet, which I've now deleted. My thoughts are - as they have always been - with Ann Widdecombe's loved ones at this awful time.'
Ann Widdecombe's Death and Investigation
Ann Widdecombe, 78, a former Conservative MP who later became a spokesperson for Reform UK, was found dead with serious injuries at her remote bungalow in Devon on Thursday. A 28-year-old white British man was initially arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday but has since been rearrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed that the suspect was not known to the Government's anti-extremism scheme, Prevent. She also stated that Farage has been offered a meeting with the head of a parliamentary body responsible for politicians' safety to address his concerns about the security of Reform MPs.
Counter-Terrorism Police Take Over
On Monday, it was announced that counter-terrorism police were taking over the investigation from Devon and Cornwall Police. Laurence Taylor, head of UK counter-terrorism policing, said: 'Building on the progress made by our colleagues in Devon and Cornwall Police, we now have new information and evidence that means Counter Terrorism Policing is now leading the investigation.'
Taylor added: 'We are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for this attack. Our priority is progressing this investigation quickly, with all the capabilities we have available to us. If anyone has any information, please share it with the police.'
