A relative of the suspect in Ann Widdecombe's alleged murder had concerns that Nigel Farage may have been at risk of being attacked. In Instagram posts seen by The Sun and dated July 8 – the same day Ann is thought to have died – the woman agreed with another user that the Reform UK leader should hold in-person surgeries ahead of next month’s by-election in Clacton-on-Sea. However, the family member – who is not being named – also questioned whether it was safe for him to speak to voters face-to-face in his former constituency.
Relative's previous comments on Trump
According to the outlet, the relative had previously posted a series of comments about Donald Trump, calling him a 'psychopath' and questioning his intelligence. In one post seemingly calling for his death, she said the US president would be able to comprehend a bullet. There is no suggestion at this time that the relative knew of Ann’s death at the time. It is also not believed that the relative was close to the suspect.
Details of the attack on Ann Widdecombe
Ann, 78, was found dead in her home in Dartmoor on July 9. Police say she died of serious injuries sustained in a 'targeted attack' the previous day. Detectives have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of her murder. In an update earlier this week, Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor described the alleged attack on the politician as 'brutal.' Stopping short of speculating on a motive, he told reporters: 'I don’t want to rule anything out,' adding that the alleged murder 'has not been declared a terrorist incident'.
Farage's safety concerns
Farage has often spoken out about fears over his safety. As he resigned from his seat in Clacton – to run again against 33 candidates, including Count Binface and three members of the Monster Raving Loony Party – the former MEP said he will need security 'for the rest of his life' following a series of alleged breaches. 'For daring to be outside the consensual view on many issues, I’ve been attacked again and again,' he said. 'I am the most physically and verbally attacked public figure or politician of modern times. Yes, you will know of some of the incidents, milkshakes thrown in my face, placards bashed over my head. But let me promise you, you only know about a fraction of the number of times that I’ve been assaulted.'
Financial backing and scrutiny
He added: 'I am going to need security for the rest of my life, and I cannot even tell you how grateful I am to Christopher Harbourne, because now I will never, ever need to worry about whether I’ve got the resource.' Crypto billionaire Harbourne made headlines earlier after it was revealed he had 'gifted' Farage £5,000,000 in 2024 – a sum the politician did not declare. Farage’s finances have come under scrutiny, which critics have suggested may have contributed to his resignation. But the politician insisted as he resigned that he had 'done nothing wrong'. He added: 'I have not broken the law in any way at all.'
Farage's defense of his conduct
Farage continued: 'And yes, of course, Parliament has its rules about how members ought to behave, and I believe I’ve absolutely obeyed those rules and done so under getting good legal advice. The standard rules are clear. This is what they say. “The code applies to members in all aspects of their public life. It does not seek to regulate what members do in their purely personal lives.” Though it would seem from the last couple of years, from the way I’ve been treated, that the press would rather our members of Parliament had no assets and no wealth at all.'
