London police arrest man for threatening Nigel Farage on X

A man in his 20s was arrested in London on Tuesday, July 14, on suspicion of threatening to kill Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in a social media post. The arrest follows a heightened national focus on the safety of politicians after the recent killing of former Member of Parliament Ann Widdecombe.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest relates to a threatening communication posted on the platform X on May 8. The post allegedly warned Farage, "I am going to shoot you in the head if you win," following local election results. The suspect was arrested at a residential address in south London, held in custody overnight, and has since been released on bail pending further investigation, which includes examining electronic devices.

Farage was informed of the arrest on Wednesday, July 15. He described the police action as unprecedented, stating it was the first time authorities had proactively acted on a threatening social media post directed at him. He expressed hope that police would now review hundreds of other similar threats he has reported. According to Reform UK, Farage has received 1,577 threats since February, including 597 death threats, averaging nearly 30 per week.