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UK: Man charged with planning to attack Nigel Farage

Felix Tamsut with AFP, Reuters
October 2, 2026

The suspect was already charged with the killing of Reform UK's Ann Widdecombe.

Britain's Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage walks outside a polling station after he voted in the Clacton by-election, triggered by his own resignation
The suspect allegedly planned acts of terrorism that included an attack on Nigel Farage [File photo: August 13, 2026]Image: Toby Shepheard/REUTERS

A man has been charged with planning acts of terrorism, including against far-right politician and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, British police said.

"We have been running a hugely intensive and complex investigation for some time," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said, saying the investigation resulted in "this very serious charge."

The suspect, Joshua Kerry, was also charged with the murder of former MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe.

According to the prosecutor handling the case, Kerry allegedly hit Widdecombe on her head 21 times with a hammer while she had been eating lunch.

Widdecombe's murder triggered reactions from across British politics, including demands to improve lawmakers' security arrangements.

The new charges against Kerry include one count of preparing acts of terrorism for actions allegedly carried out between May 31, 2024 and July 8, 2026.

According to the police's statement, the 28-year-old suspect is due to appear in a London magistrates' court on October 7.

Apart from Widdecombe, two other politicians were murdered this decade. Labor's Jo Cox was murdered by a neo-Nazi sympathizer in 2016 and Conservative David Amees was killed in 2021 by an "Islamic State" supporter.

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Edited by: Sean Sinico

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