Burnham apologises after wrongly describing arrested man as Widdecombe’s killer
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Andy Burnham has corrected the parliamentary record and apologised after saying an arrested man was “responsible for the murder” of Ann Widdecombe during Prime Minister’s Questions. The remark prompted Conservative criticism that he had prejudged a case still awaiting trial and breached the presumption of innocence.
Joshua Kerry, 28, was arrested on suspicion of murder two days after Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home on Dartmoor on 9 July. A High Court trial is scheduled for 8 June next year, with a hearing on 29 January; Kerry is also charged over an alleged terror plot against Nigel Farage. The Speaker had granted MPs a limited waiver to discuss the case, while the sub judice rule is intended to guard against influencing court proceedings.
- Burnham apologised and corrected Hansard after his PMQs remark.
- Kerry is awaiting trial over Widdecombe’s death.
- The case is also linked to an alleged plot against Farage.
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Ann Widdecombe was a former Conservative MP and government minister. She was found dead at her home on Dartmoor in July, and Joshua Kerry was arrested on suspicion of her murder.
Kerry has not been convicted, and the case is due to go to trial next June, with a hearing in January. Until a court decides the case, he is legally presumed innocent.
Parliament has rules limiting discussion of active court cases, to help avoid influencing proceedings. The Speaker can allow MPs to discuss a case in limited circumstances.
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The case for
Burnham’s wording was a serious mistake because Kerry has been charged but not convicted, and calling him responsible for the murder risks prejudicing public understanding while proceedings are pending. Correcting the record and apologising recognises the importance of the presumption of innocence and of MPs setting a careful example.
The case against
A reasonable defence is that Burnham appears to have misspoken in a parliamentary exchange rather than sought to influence the trial, and he corrected the record and apologised. MPs had permission to discuss the case within limits, so the incident should be judged in context while recognising that the sub judice rules still require care.
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Originally published by The Independent as “Andy Burnham ‘apologises’ for comments about Ann Widdecombe’s murder at PMQs”.