A 26-year-old man, who was arrested on Friday afternoon on suspicion of murdering former MP Ann Widdecombe, has been released from custody and is no longer part of the ongoing investigation. Devon and Cornwall police confirmed the development early on Saturday, stating that officers are continuing to carry out ‘numerous inquiries’ into the death of the 78-year-old.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman issued a statement emphasizing the force’s commitment: “Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined. Detectives continue to carry out numerous inquiries as part of the ongoing investigation and we remain committed to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Police had previously announced on Friday that they were seeking a white male in connection with the death. Later that day, a 26-year-old white British national was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot, a town located less than 10 miles from Widdecombe’s home in Haytor, Devon.
Ann Widdecombe’s body, bearing “serious injuries,” was discovered by the ambulance service at her home, a 1970s bungalow named Widdecombe’s Rest, at 11:40 am on Thursday. A plaque with the property’s name was visible at the end of her driveway in Haytor Vale, a village within the Dartmoor national park.
The discovery followed concerns raised by Channel 5. News Presenter Dan Walker posted on social media that Widdecombe had been scheduled to appear on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show on Wednesday afternoon but stopped responding to messages and did not turn up. The team contacted her agent to check on her, and this information has since been passed to the police as part of the investigation. She had exchanged messages with a show researcher but did not respond to attempts to contact her for a Zoom call from home. Calls and texts sent after the programme aired also went unanswered.
Political leaders across the spectrum expressed their shock and horror at the alleged killing. Labour leader Keir Starmer stated, “This is really shocking news, and my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this awful time for them. Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it’s a huge, huge loss.” Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “stunned” and that her party was “reeling” from the news, admitting she struggled to find words. Andy Burnham, MP for Makerfield, described the news as “terrible” and praised Widdecombe for bringing “conviction, wit and personality to public life over many years.” Lib Dem leader Ed Davey, writing on social media, offered thoughts and prayers to her family, calling Widdecombe “a woman of deep faith who devoted her life to public service.”
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, of which Widdecombe was a member, suggested her alleged murder highlighted increased dangers for politicians in Britain. He said: “Our nation is a much, much poorer place without her. Reform UK is certainly a much worse place without her. I was expecting to see her in Clacton over the course of the next few days. Sadly, that is not going to happen. Rest in peace, Ann. A remarkable, principled woman, and a truly dreadful way to die, and a terrible reflection on modern Britain. And I do fear that for anybody in public life, or especially the political space, things have become even more dangerous.”
Local residents in Haytor Vale, where Widdecombe lived, described her as a well-known figure and the area as generally safe. Alison Gilbert, who has lived there for over a decade, told PA media: “She was a nice woman, really nice woman, and she had a great sense of humour. It’s a lovely area – you talk to strangers. Everyone saw her as quite an opinionated politician, but to us she was just a person in the community.” Another anonymous woman, a lifelong resident, remarked: “I never met (Ann Widdecombe) although I’ve lived here all my life. It’s tragic, someone gives all their life to public service and then they end like that. (Haytor) is a safe area. Every couple of years or so, somebody goes around the garden sheds and nicks all the expensive gardening equipment. That’s as far as it goes really. We’ve never had anything close (to this) in all my years.” Christine Maloney, who lives near Widdecombe’s home, echoed the sentiment about the area’s safety, noting it was common for locals to leave cars and front doors unlocked. She added: “My husband saw her a week ago, driving around. I’m very shocked at (her death), it shouldn’t have happened, it’s horrific. Everyone knows that’s her house, perhaps that’s the problem? It’s very, very safe around here. I leave my car open, I leave my front door open – not now.”
Ann Widdecombe served as a Conservative MP for the Kent constituency of Maidstone from 1987 to 2010. She later became a member of the Brexit party in 2019, serving as an MEP for South West England between 2019 and 2020, and was also a member of its successor, Reform UK.
An extract from an obituary by Stephen Bates highlighted her complex public persona: “Those who appeared with her in broadcasts were sometimes taken aback by the nervousness and shyness masked by her stridently expressed views.” Widdecombe held strong views, opposing abortion and the liberalisation of LGBTQ+ rights due to her religious beliefs, was a Eurosceptic, a climate change sceptic, and supported the reintroduction of the death penalty. Her notable departure from right-wing orthodoxy was her resolute opposition to fox hunting.
Her ministerial career included roles as a junior minister in the Department of Social Security (1990), Employment (1993), and prisons minister at the Home Office under Michael Howard (1995). As prisons minister, she faced scrutiny over suggestions that female prisoners might be handcuffed during childbirth, which was clarified as policy only for transport to hospital, not during labour.
After stepping down from Westminster in 2010 at age 62, following 23 years as an MP, Widdecombe did not pursue a quiet retirement. Despite her devout Catholic faith and hardline views, she embraced a new public life, notably with her “extraordinary appearances on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010.” Judges famously likened her to an Ark Royal, a Dalek in drag, and Vera Duckworth’s grandmother, yet she gained an unexpected fanbase, stating, “I’m having fun … I’m retired, remember? Retired? And I’m having huge fun.” She also made numerous other media appearances, including as an agony aunt on Celebrity Fit Club, hosting Have I Got News For You, and cameo roles in Sooty and Doctor Who. However, her personal morality remained unyielding, as seen in her 2018 Celebrity Big Brother appearance where she was accused of victim-blaming during a discussion about Harvey Weinstein’s victims, stating, “It’s down to them, they had a choice.”
