REFORM supporters have been encouraging one another to report a journalist to the police for what they perceive as too many posts about Nigel Farage.
An account called "Stand Up to Marxism" said on Twitter/X that he would be speaking to the police about Dan Hodges, a columnist for the Mail on Sunday, for making 43 posts about Reform and Farage over the course of eight days.
The Reform backer described this as a "sustained, highly targeted campaign", with other supporters sharing the calls and suggesting their peers do the same.
"100% agree with this. This is a targeted campaign of bullying and is inciting hate," wrote one user describing themselves as a "UK patriot".
"Can we all retweet this please, I am in full support of the action to report Dan Hodges to the police," added another Reform voter.
Isabel Oakeshott, the journalist and partner of Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, shared the calls.
"Very obvious that if Reform come to power, they will lock people up for criticising them," National contributor Owen Jones remarked.
Others, including those on the right, questioned the need for police involvement.
"Its called free speech- he’s a journalist!" said one Restore Britain campaigner.
Another conservative commentator, Sophie Corcoran, also expressed concerns.
"This is what concerns me about Reform," she wrote. "Will there actually be freedom of speech or press when they’re in charge as they quite like harassing people who criticise them?"
The man originating the calls for police reports alleged that Hodges's behaviour counts as "harassment" due to its "derogatory" nature.
"Hodges has posted about Nigel Farage and Reform 52 times across approximately 43 posts and replies on X in just eight days. Many are direct quote-tweets and aggressive replies clearly targeting Farage personally," they wrote.
"A significant number of these posts accuse Farage and Reform MP's of politicising the murder of Ann Widdecombe, and repeated attacks on Nigel Farage’s security procedures and finances with personal derogatory comments, and appear to incite others against him and the party.
"This sustained, highly targeted campaign goes far beyond the acceptable boundaries of legitimate journalism and constitutes obsessive online stalking, harassment and incitement."
Hodges has been speculating that the party is politicising the murder of Ann Widdecombe to distract from the investigation into the undeclared £5 million received by the party's leader.
Counter terror police are leading the investigation into the murder of the former Tory minister, who later went on to join and become a spokesperson for Reform.
"I’ve been saying Reform are attempting to deflect from scrutiny of Nigel Farage," Hodges wrote on Monday. "They’ve been hysterically denying it. So let’s test. I predict they will try to link today’s statement about anti-terror police now leading the investigation with Farage’s £5m donation."
Despite the police urging people not speculate on the circumstances of Widdecombe's death, Tice and other politicians have been suggesting they are unsafe.
After The Times reported on accusations of Farage politicising the death, Tice (below) wrote: "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?"
A 28-year-old white British man who was arrested on suspicion of Widdecombe's murder on Saturday has since been rearrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Police could be allowed to hold him for up to 14 days for questioning under terrorism legislation if needed.
Footage was shared with media outlets including the Sun newspaper and Sky News showing a man with no top on being arrested and led away from a house in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Saturday.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the suspect was not known to the UK Government anti-extremism scheme Prevent.
