Nigel Farage has revealed he receives approximately 30 death threats per week, as Reform UK accuses ministers of politicizing the safety of public figures. The party stated it has logged 1,577 threats against Farage since February, including 597 death threats. These incidents involve individuals the party believes are fixated on harming him.
Farage is scheduled to discuss these threats with the Home Office's elite security team to enhance protection for Reform MPs, particularly in the wake of the murder of Ann Widdecombe. The scale of the threat has intensified a dispute over the security measures offered to Farage.
Reform UK's Treasury spokesman, Robert Jenrick, alleged that ministers are "playing politics with the safety of politicians" due to the Reform party's opposition to the establishment. Downing Street has refuted this, noting that Farage has been offered a meeting with the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which manages security for royal family members and senior politicians. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood extended this offer following the attack on Widdecombe.
Jenrick criticized Mahmood for a "dereliction of duty," suggesting the meeting could have been offered much earlier. A No 10 spokesman stated that Prime Minister Keir Starmer believes all MPs should have adequate security and that "no politician should be targeted or face abuse, regardless of their views."
While Farage was offered a security package comparable to that provided to Kemi Badenoch, including a car and bodyguard, Jenrick argued this did not adequately reflect the level of threat. A Reform UK spokesperson claimed that the security package offered to Farage after the assassination of Charlie Kirk represented a 75% reduction without clear justification, leading Farage to decline the downgraded offer.
Dame Prue Leith expressed concern for her son, MP Danny Kruger, a prominent Reform figure, describing the situation as "scary" and uncharacteristic of the UK's traditionally civil political discourse.
Reform UK has compiled a dossier of threats against Farage, many originating from the social media platform X. Examples cited include a June 23 post demanding the "execution" of Farage as a "traitor," and another from June 25 threatening violence if he did not leave Wales. A July 2 message accompanied by an image of a noose referenced historical punishments for traitors. Another threat, from a suspected neo-Nazi account, predicted Farage's execution as a "race traitor."
Sir Robert Buckland, who is reviewing MP security after the murder of MP Sir David Amess, acknowledged the need for increased protection but cautioned against measures that could isolate MPs from their constituents.