Man held on murder suspicion after Ann Widdecombe found dead
Devon and Cornwall Police said the 26-year-old suspect remains in custody and the case is not being treated as terrorism or politically motivated.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
British police have arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of murdering Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative minister and Brexit campaigner found dead at her home. Devon and Cornwall Police said the case is being investigated as murder but is not being treated as terrorism or as politically motivated.
Matt Longman of Devon and Cornwall Police said Friday that the suspect was still in custody, according to Al Jazeera, AP and Reuters. Officers had been called to Widdecombe’s home in southwest England around midday Thursday, where they found the 78-year-old with serious injuries, police said.
The force said earlier that its murder investigation was at an early stage and that officers were working quickly to establish what happened. Police also said forensic work was continuing at the property.
Long political career
Widdecombe served as a Conservative member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010 and held junior ministerial roles under former Prime Minister John Major, according to Al Jazeera, AP and Reuters. She later became a prominent supporter of Brexit and joined Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.
She served as a member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2020. Reform UK, the rebranded Brexit Party, later made her its immigration spokesperson, and Al Jazeera reported that the party leads in many opinion polls.
Widdecombe was known for socially conservative positions during her public career. Al Jazeera, AP and Reuters reported that she opposed abortion and opposed equalising the age of consent for homosexual and heterosexual relationships. She also defended the shackling of pregnant prisoners during childbirth as a measure to prevent escape.
After leaving Parliament, Widdecombe became known to a wider entertainment audience through the television show “Strictly Come Dancing,” appearing in 2010 and drawing strong public support from viewers, according to the reports.
Political reaction
Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered condolences to Widdecombe’s family and friends. He described her death as shocking and called her a distinguished politician with many achievements, according to the reports.
British media also reported condolences from a spokesperson for Labour politician Andy Burnham, who said Burnham’s thoughts were with Widdecombe’s family in distressing circumstances. Former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute on X, calling her a committed Brexiteer and an effective speaker.
Widdecombe’s death comes after two serving British MPs were killed in the past decade. Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 during the Brexit campaign by a man described in the reports as obsessed with Nazism. Conservative MP David Amess was stabbed to death in 2021 by a man inspired by ISIL, also known as ISIS.
Police have not announced a motive in Widdecombe’s case. Devon and Cornwall Police said the investigation remains active as officers continue work at the scene and question the man arrested on suspicion of murder.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.