Farage ‘using ex-MP as propaganda’

Tuesday, 14 July 2026

Britain

Nigel Farage has been accused of exploiting the murder of Ann Widdecombe for “political propaganda”.

The Reform UK leader said that he believed the death of the former Tory MP turned Reform spokesperson was “premeditated murder” and discussed lines of inquiry with reporters after arriving in Haytor, her village on the edge of Dartmoor, on Saturday, at the height of an active murder investigation.

Harvey Proctor, a former Tory MP and friend, said: “Ann Widdecombe was far too dear to her family, friends and former colleagues for her murder to be exploited as political propaganda. The police have expressly asked the public not to speculate about the motive. It is deeply disappointing that Nigel Farage has chosen to do precisely that.”

Farage told reporters on Saturday, before police arrested a 28-year-old in Yorkshire on suspicion of murder, that he did not believe Widdecombe's killing was “a burglary that went wrong”.

He said: “The car went on to the drive at approximately 12.30pm on Wednesday. If you were a burglar, would you literally drive your car on to someone's drive? You wouldn’t. From what I can see of it, from what I can make out, this was premeditated murder.”

He added: “Whether it was politically motivated, whether it was somebody with a grudge, I don't think it pays at this moment in time to speculate, but what I do think we can say and how extraordinary of course that David Amess [the murdered MP] was such a very, very close friend of Ann's … What it does say is that people now in public life, especially politics, the world is very much more dangerous than it has ever been.”

Matt Longman, assistant chief constable of Devon and Cornwall, asked people on Friday not to speculate about the case, adding: 'This is not only potentially harmful to our investigation but also deeply distressing for family and friends of Miss Widdecombe.“

The Mail on Sunday reported that a 'highly placed source' had said Widdecombe's family 'don't want her death hijacked for political purposes', and were 'very uneasy' about Farage attending the scene.

Proctor, who has written about how Widdecombe, 78, offered him kindness and public support when he was falsely accused of operating a murderous VIP paedophile sex ring, said he agreed with Farage that “politicians require greater protection” but he said that leadership “requires discipline”. He added: “It requires placing the integrity of a murder investigation above the demands of the news cycle, and a political agenda.”

In response, Farage, the leader of Reform UK, said: “Harvey was very close to Ann, I know he is upset, but I was really careful not to be political. I was very clear in what I said. I said I would not speculate as to whether it was someone with a grudge, someone with mental health problems or someone with political problems. I also said very clearly that I didn't believe for one moment that it was a burglary that went wrong and I am 100 per cent certain I am right on that.”

Richard Tice, Reform's deputy leader, led tributes to Widdecombe at a Reform memorial event near her village yesterday.

Farage has come under pressure in recent weeks over an undeclared £5 million (NZ$11.6 million) gift from a crypto billionaire, shortly before becoming an MP. He has said he is using it to fund his security, and that he will need protection “until the day that [he] dies” because the state has largely refused his requests for help.