Disgusting. The University of Aberdeen says it is “looking into” comments made by employee Heather Herbert after she publicly celebrated the death of former MP Ann Widdecombe. Responding to the announcement, Herbert wrote: “Some good news for once. I hope it was an extremely painful death.” She then added: “I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony.” A local report says Herbert offered no apology when questioned, while the university confirmed it was examining the matter. You can disagree with every political position Ann Widdecombe ever held. You can criticise her record, her beliefs and her words. But publicly fantasising about a 78-year-old woman being restrained and screaming in agony is not political criticism. It is grotesque. The University of Aberdeen now needs to decide whether this conduct meets the standards it expects from somebody publicly identified as one of its employees. And “looking into it” cannot simply become the usual holding statement until the outrage disappears. #AnnWiddecombe #UniversityOfAberdeen #PoliticalViolence #PublicStandards #UKPolitics