Dame Prue Leith has admitted she fears for her son Danny Kruger’s safety in the wake of Ann Widdecombe’s killing last week.
The 86-year-old Great British Bake Off star said she has deliberately avoided contacting the Reform MP about the tragedy.
“I haven’t even rung him up about it because I don’t want him having to add to the worry the fact that his mother is worrying,” she told Times Radio.
The television presenter acknowledged the situation left her unsettled, stating: “But I think it is scary.”
Mr Kruger, 51, represents East Wiltshire and switched from the Conservatives to Nigel Farage’s party in September 2025.
Ms Widdecombe, 78, was discovered at her residence in Haytor on Dartmoor last Thursday morning, having sustained serious injuries.
Counter-terrorism officers have taken charge of the inquiry into the Reform spokeswoman’s death, confirming investigators are treating it as a targeted attack.
A 28-year-old white British man has been detained on suspicion of murder alongside allegations of commission, preparation, or instigation of acts of terrorism.
The killing has prompted renewed debate about the protection afforded to elected representatives, with Dame Prue expressing confidence that authorities would act.
“Honestly, I think the government will do everything it can to protect MPs,” she said.
“It seems so amazing that this should be happening in the UK, which I’ve always thought of as the most civilised country about politics.”
The South African-British restaurateur went on to suggest that something fundamental had shifted in the country’s character.
It’s always been a proper country. You don’t reach for the gun when you don’t agree with somebody; you debate it, and you vote on it,” she said.
Despite their political differences, Dame Prue noted that conversations with her son remained respectful.
She said: “We do talk a lot about politics and I don’t always agree with Danny on politics, but one of the great things is we don’t mind disagreeing; it’s all perfectly civilised.”
Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister-in-waiting, has demanded a comprehensive examination of security arrangements for parliamentarians following Ms Widdecombe’s death, suggesting protective measures may require further strengthening.
The Makerfield MP offered a bleak assessment of the current political climate when speaking to reporters at Westminster.
“Politics has darkened in the last decade; there’s no getting away from that,” he observed.
Mr Burnham, who knew Ms Widdecombe through their years together in the Commons, acknowledged that the atmosphere surrounding political debate had fundamentally altered.
“It’s easy to blame social media, but it feels like it’s having some impact in just building that kind of toxicity that’s around the political debate,” he said.
