A ππ½πΈπΈππΎππ police investigation has been initiated into a former Labour candidate after she made disturbing comments celebrating the death of Ann Widdecombe. Heather Herbert, a transgender web developer associated with Aberdeen University, expressed her delight over the news of Widdecombe’s passing, hoping she experienced an “extremely painful death.”
Herbert’s controversial remarks surfaced on Bluesky on July 10, just a day after the former Tory MP was discovered deceased at her cottage in Haytor, Dartmoor, with serious injuries. The comments quickly drew public attention, prompting both police and her university to launch inquiries.
Initially, Police Scotland stated that they found no evidence of criminality based on the initial assessment. However, a spokesperson later revealed that further investigations were underway following reports received on July 11 regarding Herbert’s online post.
In a related development, the Scottish Greens, the political party with which Herbert is affiliated, announced they would also be conducting an investigation into her comments. Herbert, who joined the Scottish Greens in late 2021 after previously being part of Scottish Labour, has faced backlash for her inflammatory statements.
In her Bluesky post, Herbert shared a news article about Widdecombe’s death, remarking, “And some good news for once. I hope it was an extremely painful death.” She later added more graphic sentiments, stating, “And I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony.” Even after the emergence of distressing details surrounding the 78-year-old’s murder, Herbert reportedly insisted she was “glad [Widdecombe] was dead.”
The reaction from the public and media has been swift and severe. Piers Morgan condemned the comments as “despicably cruel, heartless and abusive,” highlighting a troubling trend of using tragic events for political gain.
Ann Widdecombe was found by her gardener at her cottage around 11:40 a.m. on Thursday, leading to the arrest of a 28-year-old man from Rotherham on suspicion of murder just two days later. Counter Terrorism Policing has since taken over the investigation, with officials describing the incident as a “targeted attack.”
Laurence Taylor, who is leading the investigation, stated that authorities are still working to uncover the motivations behind the attack and the extent of any planning involved. He refrained from sharing specific details but confirmed that there was evidence of preparation.
In the wake of Herbert’s comments, the student newspaper The Gaudie reached out for her perspective. She reportedly claimed, “I don’t want to see anyone murdered, but I’m still glad she is dead,” asserting that her remarks were made prior to the murder investigation announcement.
Aberdeen University has distanced itself from Herbert’s statements, with rector Iona Fyfe condemning any glorification of violence. Principal and Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Edwards emphasized the university’s zero-tolerance policy towards hateful behavior, assuring that the matter is being treated with urgency.
As this unsettling story unfolds, many are left wondering about the implications of Herbert’s comments and the broader societal issues they raise. What does this incident reveal about our political discourse?
