A UNIVERSITY of Aberdeen staff member has said a row over her comments following the death of Ann Widdecombe are “hugely overblown”.
Heather Herbert, a former Scottish Labour candidate, who is a web developer at the university, said that she hoped the former Tory minister suffered an “extremely painful death”.
“I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony,” Herbert wrote on Bluesky, referencing comments made by Widdecombe when she was prisons minister.
In 1996, Widdecombe defended a policy that forced pregnant inmates to wear chains when visiting hospitals for ante-natal care.
Herbert’s posts were made before police announced they were treating Widdecombe’s death as murder.
The University of Aberdeen issued a statement saying these views do not represent those of the institution and the comments are being reviewed "as a priority".
"The comments that have been shared are entirely the individual’s own and do not represent the views of the University of Aberdeen,” the statement said.
"Complaints into any member of staff are handled confidentially through our established processes."
In response to the row, Herbert told The National that she felt the response to her post has been “hugely overblown”.
“I get that people are upset with me but it does seem to be the same people who are upset are also the people who have been spending the past few years calling me a snowflake for being upset with them when they call me a pedo or groomer, almost like it was never about free speech,” she said.
A petition has been launched which demands there be a formal review of Herbert's comments and many people have called for her dismissal. Her comments have been described as "sick" by commenters.
Aberdeen University rector Iona Fyfe added on social media she had received a significant number of emails about Herbert's remarks but highlighted she has no responsibility over the behaviour of staff.
In response to her posts being raised with the university, Herbert said: “I'm not sure why people are dragging them into it.
“Be upset with me, yeah ok, that's fine, but the uni? What does it have to do with them?
“I guess it's silly season, so people have nothing else to report on.”
Herbert went on to join the Scottish Greens after being a Labour candidate but said in 2024 she had resigned from the party following candidate Sophie Molly's deselection after she called JK Rowling "a torn-faced cow".
On Monday, it emerged that counter terrorism police are now leading the investigation into Widdecombe’s death.
A 28-year-old white British man who was arrested on suspicion of her murder on Saturday has since been rearrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
