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Herbert, who previously stood as a Labour candidate before joining the Scottish Greens, shared a post on the social media platform Bluesky on July 10, one day after Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her cottage in Haytor, Dartmoor. At the time, initial reports had only confirmed that the former MP had died after being discovered with serious injuries. The murder investigation had not yet been publicly announced when Herbert made her comments.
In her post, Herbert shared a Sky News report about Widdecombe’s death and wrote: “And some good news for once. I hope it was an extremely painful death.” She later made another disturbing statement in which she said she hoped Widdecombe had been “handcuffed to the bed” while suffering. The comments quickly circulated online, leading members of the public to report them to authorities.
Police Scotland initially stated that the information provided had been reviewed and that no criminal offense had been identified at that stage. However, after further assessment, the force confirmed that additional inquiries were now being carried out. A spokesperson for Police Scotland said that reports were received on Saturday, July 11, 2026, regarding an online post and that further investigations were underway following a review of the circumstances.
The controversy intensified after it emerged that Widdecombe’s death was being treated as a suspected murder. She was found by her gardener at approximately 11:40 a.m. on Thursday at her remote cottage in Haytor on Dartmoor. The 78-year-old former government minister had suffered serious injuries, and investigators later confirmed that her death appeared to be the result of a targeted attack.
A 28-year-old white British man from Rotherham was arrested on suspicion of murder, and the investigation was later taken over by specialist officers from Counter Terrorism Policing. Laurence Taylor, who is leading the inquiry, said detectives were examining the possibility of planning and preparation behind the attack, while also continuing to investigate the motivation.
Despite the emerging details surrounding Widdecombe’s death, Herbert reportedly continued to defend her comments. Responding to criticism from student newspaper The Gaudie, she said she did not support murder but maintained that she was “glad” Widdecombe was dead. She argued that her original comments were made before the murder investigation became public and stated that she believed Widdecombe’s political actions had negatively affected ordinary people.
Her remarks triggered condemnation from critics, including broadcaster Piers Morgan, who described the reaction as “despicably cruel, heartless and abusive.” He accused some political activists of using Widdecombe’s death as an opportunity to make political statements rather than showing respect for a person who had died.
The situation also drew attention from Herbert’s political connections. The Scottish Greens confirmed that they had launched an internal investigation because of her association with the party. Herbert joined the Scottish Greens in late 2021 after previously being affiliated with Scottish Labour, and the party said it was reviewing the matter following the public backlash.
Her employer, the University of Aberdeen, also moved quickly to distance itself from the comments. University rector Iona Fyfe condemned any statements that appeared to glorify violence against any individual. Principal and Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Edwards stated that the university has a zero-tolerance policy toward violence and hateful behavior and confirmed that the comments were being investigated as a priority.
The case has sparked a wider debate about online speech, political hostility, and reactions to the deaths of public figures. While Herbert’s supporters have argued that her comments reflected strong political disagreement rather than an intention to encourage violence, critics have said the timing and wording of her posts were deeply inappropriate, particularly given the later revelation that Widdecombe had died in what police believe was a targeted killing.
Authorities are continuing to investigate both the circumstances surrounding Ann Widdecombe’s death and the implications of the online comments that followed. As inquiries continue, the controversy surrounding Heather Herbert’s statements has become a major point of discussion about the limits of political expression, accountability, and public reaction during a sensitive criminal investigation.
