Deputy Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice walks past the media after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he'll quit his Parliament seat and seek reelection in London, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Richard Tice has accused journalists on The Times newspaper of wanting another Reform UK politician “dead”. The party’s deputy leader made his extraordinary comments as police continue their murder investigation following the death of Ann Widdecombe. The former Tory minister, who was a Reform spokeswoman, was found dead at her home in Devon on Thursday. A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Police have urged the public not to speculate about the possible motive for her killing. That came after Reform leader Nigel Farage said on Saturday that he believed “this was premeditated murder”. Speaking after he laid a wreath near Widdecombe’s home, he said: “Whether it was politically-motivated, whether it was someone with a grudge, I don’t think it pays at this time to speculate.” Detectives have insisted that there is no evidence at the moment to suggest it was politically-motivated. Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor told The Times: “Ann Widdecombe was far too dear to her family, friends and former colleagues for her murder to be exploited as political propaganda. “The police have expressly asked the public not to speculate about the motive. It is therefore deeply disappointing that Nigel Farage has chosen to do precisely that.” Reacting to the Times story on X, Tice said: “The Times Group: You are sick. Your contempt bordering on hatred of Nigel, myself & Reform means you stoop to any low to smear & discredit us. “You lie, libel and make things up. How many more Reform politicians do you want dead? Shame on you.” The Times Group: You are sick Your contempt bordering on hatred of Nigel, myself & Reform means you stoop to any low to smear & discredit us. You lie, libel and make things up. How many more Reform politicians do you want dead? Shame on you https://t.co/LnCCZ4YEqi — Richard Tice MP 🇬🇧 (@TiceRichard) July 13, 2026 Meanwhile, Commons officials have hit back after Reform home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf accused the government, the police and parliament of not caring about the safety of the party’s MPs. Reform is now paying for round-the-clock security for its senior politicians. But a House of Commons spokesperson hit back at Yusuf by insisting “all MPs are offered appropriate security measures”. He said: “The ability of members and their staff to perform their parliamentary duties safely, both on and off the estate, is fundamental to our democracy. “Any assessment of an individual MPs’ security arrangements or advice is subject to a rigorous risk-based assessment, conducted by security professionals and with input from the police and a range of professional authorities. These are naturally kept under continuous review. “All MPs are offered appropriate security measures but we do not comment on specific cases or details of those measures so as not to compromise the safety of MPs, parliamentary staff or members of the public.” Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster. Related... Police Urge People Not To Speculate On 'Motive' Of Ann Widdecombe's Alleged Murder Ann Widdecombe Death: 28-Year-Old Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Murder Laura Kuenssberg Slaps Down Nadhim Zahawi Over Claim Farage Is Victim Of Westminster 'Pile-On'