Man arrested over threat to 'shoot Nigel Farage in the head'

Police have arrested a man for threatening on social media to kill Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

The Telegraph reports that a social media post on 8 May addressed to Farage and reading 'I am going to shoot you in the head if you win' has led to a man being arrested yesterday (14 July).

They report that Parliament’s security information and risk analysis service identified the message and got in touch with the Met Police, who was identified by investigators after they contacted X.

A man was then arrested on suspicion of sending a threatening communication, interviewed and released on police bail under condition that he not attempt to contact Farage, restricted his social media use and stayed away from Westminster.

The Reform UK leader told the Telegraph this was ' first time the police have ever proactively acted on a social media post' and hoped they would look at 'three or four hundred similar posts from this year alone'.

A man was arrested, questioned and bailed over social media posts (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Action on the social media post comes after Reform UK politician Ann Widdecombe was found dead in her home, and counter terrorism police have since taken over the investigation.

They have said it was a 'targeted attack', with a 28-year-old British man arrested on suspicion of killing Widdecombe and later rearrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

The government said the suspect was not known to the Government anti-extremism scheme Prevent.

It is just over a decade since the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, and in 2021 Conservative MP Sir David Amess was also murdered.

LADbible Group have contacted the Met Police for further comment.