A 28-year-old man has been arrested in South Yorkshire on suspicion of the murder of Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson. Police confirmed the suspect, identified as a white British national, is currently in police custody.
Ms Widdecombe, 78, was discovered with serious injuries at her home in Haytor, Devon, at 11:40 BST on Thursday. Investigators believe the attack occurred almost 24 hours prior to her discovery. Her death was announced by her management team on Friday.
This latest development follows an earlier arrest in the case. A 26-year-old man was previously arrested in Newton Abbot, approximately 11 miles (18km) from Ms Widdecombe’s home, on suspicion of murder. He was subsequently released on Saturday and, according to police, is “no longer part of the investigation.”
Devon and Cornwall police maintained a significant presence around Ms Widdecombe’s property in Devon throughout the weekend, with forensic officers seen conducting investigations at her home.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman confirmed that counter-terrorism officers were initially involved in the inquiry. However, they later ruled out terrorism, concluding there was no information to suggest her death was a “politically motivated crime.”
ACC Longman stated on Saturday that the force had opted not to release further details, such as descriptions of potential suspects or CCTV footage, at this time. He explained that “releasing such information prematurely could compromise ongoing enquiries and may prejudice future investigative opportunities.”
Ann Widdecombe had a distinguished political career spanning several decades. She served as the Tory MP for Maidstone in Kent from 1987 to 2010. During John Major’s government, between 1994 and 1997, she held ministerial positions including employment, prisons, and Home Office minister. Following the Conservatives’ defeat in the 1997 election, she took on senior shadow roles, including shadow health secretary and shadow home secretary.
After leaving the House of Commons, Ms Widdecombe remained in the public eye, appearing on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and as a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother eight years later. She joined the Brexit Party in 2019, representing South West England as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) until 2020. In 2023, she became a member of Reform UK, where she served as the party’s Immigration and Justice spokesperson.
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