A British man charged with murdering a former British minister and later charged with a terrorism offense targeting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was motivated by an extreme left-wing mindset and "hostility to Reform," prosecutors said on Friday.
Joshua Kerry, 28, is charged with the murder of Ann Widdecombe, a prominent figure in Farage's Reform UK party, who prosecutors say was repeatedly hit on the head with a hammer in her home in July.
He was subsequently charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts between May 2024 and July this year, accused of carrying out research on prominent people and traveling to, and attempting to gain entry to, Farage's house.
Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said Kerry had an "extreme left-wing and/or an anti-establishment mindset" and also "held hostility towards Reform particularly."
Threats against Farage's life
Farage, 62, often credited with forcing the 2016 referendum on whether Britain should stay in the European Union, has been one of the most influential, but also one of the most divisive, figures in British politics for more than a decade.
When campaigning for parliament in 2024, Farage had a milkshake thrown at him by a woman and, on another occasion, objects were hurled towards his open-top bus by a man.
Reform UK was leading in the polls until recently, though a combination of allegations over party funding and Andy Burnham taking over as prime minister has seen an erosion in its support.
Farage is currently facing a parliamentary investigation over whether he should have declared a £5 million ($6.75 million) gift from a billionaire cryptocurrency investor. He has since said the money was necessary to provide him with security.
"This is exactly why Nigel needed £5m to protect his security for life," a Reform UK source told Reuters.