A man in his 20s has been arrested in south London in connection with an alleged social media post threatening to shoot Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The arrest, made on Tuesday, is in response to a post on X, formerly Twitter, which was reported to the Metropolitan Police on May 8.

The alleged threat, reportedly stating "I am going to shoot you in the head if you win," was made on the social media platform following the local and mayoral elections. The Met Police confirmed the arrest was made on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a Member of Parliament. The individual has since been bailed pending further inquiries.

Nigel Farage was informed of the arrest by the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team on Wednesday. He commented that this was the first time police had proactively acted on such a social media post and expressed hope that "the other three or four hundred similar posts from this year alone" would also be investigated.

The arrest follows the recent death of Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe at her home in Devon, which is currently being investigated by counter-terrorism police. While the source material does not explicitly link the arrest to Widdecombe's death, it notes the timing and the ongoing investigation into her death.

Police have indicated that examining digital devices seized could take several weeks. Reform UK's home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, announced at a press conference earlier on Wednesday that if the party were in government, it would provide round-the-clock protection for all MPs, stating that Farage "lives his life under the ever-present threat of mortal danger."

Farage has previously spoken about the threats he receives, particularly online. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of public figures and the challenges faced by law enforcement in monitoring and acting upon online threats.

The arrest was first reported by the Daily Telegraph. The Metropolitan Police have not provided further details regarding the specific content of the social media post beyond the reported threat.

Further updates are expected as police continue their inquiries and examine the seized digital devices. The bail conditions for the arrested man mean he is required to return to the police station at a later date.