Man charged with murder of British politician accused of plotting terrorist acts against Nigel Farage

The man accused of the murder of former British MP Ann Widdecombe has been charged with preparing acts of terrorism, notably against British reformist leader Nigel Farage, British police announced Friday.

Joshua Kerry, 28, was charged with one count of preparing terrorist acts, relating to activities that allegedly occurred between May 31, 2024 and July 8, 2026, counterterrorism police said.

Kerry was charged with the murder of Widdecombe, 78, in late July. The Reform UK spokeswoman and former Conservative MP was found dead at her home in southwest England earlier this month. She had been hit 21 times with a hammer, a court heard.

Assistant Deputy Commissioner Vicki Evans said the charge laid on Friday was the result of an extremely intensive and complex investigation.

Evans continued: “This investigation was led by a dedicated team of detectives, analysts and forensic experts, working on multiple lines of inquiry, resulting in this very serious charge. »

Chief Crown Prosecutor Frank Ferguson, of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division, said they had “worked closely with the police to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this matter to court, and we will continue to work with them as their investigation progresses”.

Kerry is expected to appear in connection with the terrorism charge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London next Wednesday.

Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, on July 9, with police saying at the time she had been seriously injured. Before working for Reform UK, she was a Conservative MP for over two decades.

His death came amid increased violence and increased threats against British lawmakers. She is the third British MP to be killed in recent years, following the murders of David Amess in 2021 and Jo Cox in 2016.

This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.