Ann Widdecombe Murder Suspect Charged With Terror Plot Against Nigel Farage

British counter-terrorism police have charged the man accused of murdering former government minister Ann Widdecombe with preparing acts of terrorism — including an alleged plot against Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK. Joshua Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, is already awaiting trial for the brutal killing of the 78-year-old at her Dartmoor home in July.

Ann Widdecombe, the 78-year-old former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman, was found dead at her Dartmoor home in July 2026.

The New Terror Charge

Counter Terrorism Policing announced the charge on Friday, October 2, saying Kerry had been charged with one count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. The alleged activity covers a period between May 31, 2024 and July 8, 2026 — the latter being the day Widdecombe was killed.

Police and prosecutors said the conduct related "in part" to Nigel Farage, though they gave no further details of what the alleged plot involved. The charge was authorized by the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said the charge was the result of a long and demanding investigation. "We have been running a hugely intensive and complex investigation for some time," she said. "The charge announced today is a result of the tireless work of investigators across the counter terrorism policing network."

Chief Crown Prosecutor Frank Ferguson said his team had "worked closely with police to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court," adding that prosecutors would continue working with investigators as the case progresses. Kerry is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Wednesday.

A Murder That Shocked Britain

Kerry was arrested on July 11 after Widdecombe was found dead at her remote home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon. Police believe the 78-year-old former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman had been dead for around 24 hours when her body was discovered on July 9.

A court previously heard she had been struck 21 times with a hammer. Counter Terrorism Police described the killing as a targeted attack, and Kerry was subsequently rearrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offences before being charged with murder.

According to reports, her last confirmed communication came between 12:14pm and 12:19pm on July 8, when she was discussing a planned appearance on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show with a producer. When she stopped responding, concern was raised. Investigators believe she was attacked at around 12:30 that day.

The killing sent shockwaves through British public life. Widdecombe, who served as a Conservative MP for 23 years and held ministerial office, had become a nationally known figure long before joining Reform UK as its spokeswoman.

Who Is Joshua Kerry?

Kerry, of Byrley Road in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, is accused of driving nearly 265 miles to carry out the attack, according to reporting by The Times. He was already awaiting trial on the murder charge when detectives from the national counterterrorism command, who had continued investigating his background, brought the new terrorism charge.

Police have not disclosed details of Kerry's ideology, motive, or the evidence underpinning the terrorism preparation charge — a standard restriction in the UK, where contempt-of-court rules sharply limit what can be reported before trial. What is known is that investigators examined a two-year window of alleged conduct stretching from May 2024 through the day of the murder.

The murder trial and the terrorism case are expected to raise uncomfortable questions about how much the authorities knew, and when — questions likely to be pressed in the coming weeks.

The Threat to Nigel Farage

The terrorism charge names Farage, the populist leader whose Reform UK party has risen sharply in British politics, as one of the alleged targets. Police have not said whether any concrete plan to attack him was disrupted, nor what form the alleged preparation took.

Farage has spoken openly about the scale of the threats against him. In the summer he said he was receiving more than 300 threats a month. In April 2024 he received a £5 million gift from the cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne, which he said was for security — a donation that drew intense scrutiny over its size and origins.

The new charge also lands at a politically charged moment for Reform UK. Farage has been touring the country on his party's "100 Days to Save Britain" campaign, and Widdecombe herself was one of the party's most prominent spokeswomen before her death.

Security of Public Life Under Scrutiny

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood moved quickly to address the development, posting that the new charges would be "extremely concerning" and offering her sympathies to Farage and his family.

"Let no one make any mistake: an attack on anyone in politics is an attack on us all," she wrote. "This case raises serious questions about the security of those in public life."

Mahmood said she would update Parliament on the government's work to strengthen protections for politicians once MPs return, describing the case as an "opportunity to reset."

Her remarks reflect a growing unease in Westminster. The murder of a former minister, followed by a terror charge involving an alleged plot against the leader of a major political party, is the gravest security case involving British politicians since the murder of MP Sir David Amess in 2021 — itself prosecuted as a terrorist attack.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Police said the terrorism preparation charge against Joshua Kerry related in part to Farage.

What This Means

The dual charges against Kerry mark a rare convergence of murder and terrorism prosecutions against a single suspect in Britain. That counterterrorism detectives pursued the terrorism angle for months after the murder charge suggests the investigation uncovered evidence of planning well beyond the attack on Widdecombe.

For Reform UK, the case is a double blow: the party lost one of its most recognizable voices in July, and now learns that its leader may have been targeted as well. For the Burnham government, the pressure is on to show that politicians are protected — a test Mahmood has explicitly acknowledged.

The case also underscores how the UK's terrorism legislation reaches beyond completed attacks. The "preparation of terrorist acts" offence criminalizes conduct leading up to an attack, and convictions under it often rest on digital evidence, reconnaissance, and the acquisition of materials — all of which will now be tested in court.

Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, where Joshua Kerry is due to appear on Wednesday over the terrorism charge.

What Happens Next

Kerry is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, where the terrorism charge will be formally put to him. Under UK law, terrorism cases of this seriousness are typically sent to the Crown Court, where he would face trial — potentially alongside or separately from the murder case.

Reporting restrictions mean few details may emerge until the trials conclude, but the coming court appearances will be watched closely in Westminster. With Parliament due to return, Mahmood's promised update on the security of elected officials could become a defining early test for the government.

For now, the facts as charged are stark: a 28-year-old already accused of killing a former minister now stands accused of preparing terrorist acts — with Britain's political establishment, and Nigel Farage in particular, named in connection with the alleged plans. The courts will decide whether those charges are proved.