Police charge suspect in Ann Widdecombe murder with terror plot against Nigel Farage
British counter-terrorism police have charged 28-year-old Joshua Kerry with planning acts of terrorism against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, three months after Kerry was charged with killing former MP Ann Widdecombe.
Terrorism charge authorized
British counter-terrorism police announced on Friday that 28-year-old Joshua Kerry has been charged with preparing acts of terrorism, including operations directed against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage MP. Following authorization from the Crown Prosecution Service, authorities charged Kerry under section 5(1)(a) of the Terrorism Act 2006. Investigators allege that the suspect carried out preparatory conduct over a two-year timeframe between 31 May 2024 and 8 July 2026. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, noted that the charge followed an extensive multi-agency operation involving forensic specialists and analysts.
This investigation has been led by a dedicated team of detectives, analysts, and forensic experts, working on multiple lines of enquiry, which has resulted in this very serious charge.
Link to the killing of Ann Widdecombe
Kerry, who resides on Byrley Road in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was already in custody after being charged in July with the murder of former lawmaker Ann Widdecombe. Widdecombe, a 78-year-old former Conservative minister who served as a spokesperson for Reform UK, was found dead on 9 July 2026 at her home in Haytor, Devon. Crown prosecutors allege that Kerry attacked Widdecombe while she was eating lunch, striking her on the head 21 times with a hammer. Officers arrested Kerry on 11 July 2026, two days after her body was discovered. Devon and Cornwall police initially dismissed a political motive before national counter-terrorism detectives assumed control of the case.
- Start of the alleged terrorism preparation period
- Ann Widdecombe found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon
- Police arrest Joshua Kerry in connection with the murder
- Counter-terrorism police charge Kerry with planning acts of terrorism
- Scheduled court appearance at a London magistrates court
Incendiary device inquiry and ministerial reaction
The terrorism charge coincides with a separate, reopened counter-terrorism investigation into a security incident at Farage's south London home. In April 2026, the Reform UK leader told the Daily Telegraph that a lit incendiary device had been pushed through his front door letterbox while he was away, describing the incident as an attempted arson. Counter-terrorism police reopened that inquiry in August 2026 after identifying an investigative lead that had not previously been explored. Following Friday's charges, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed sympathy to Farage and his family, stating that the situation presented serious concerns regarding the safety of public figures.
Make no mistake: an attack on a political figure is an attack on all of us.
Court appearance and lawmaker safety
Kerry is scheduled to appear before a London magistrates' court on Wednesday, 7 October 2026. The legal proceedings take place following intense scrutiny surrounding the physical safety of politicians across the United Kingdom. Widdecombe represents the third British politician killed over the past decade, following the 2016 murder of Labour MP Jo Cox by a neo-Nazi sympathizer and the 2021 killing of Conservative MP David Amess by an Islamic State supporter. Widdecombe's death in July prompted cross-party calls across Westminster to review and reinforce security measures for elected officials.
