Police said Ann Widdecombe suffered serious injuries at her Dartmoor home, but investigators have not identified a motive.
HAYTOR, England — British police arrested a 26-year-old man Friday on suspicion of murder after former member of Parliament Ann Widdecombe was found dead with serious injuries at her home near Dartmoor National Park.
Devon and Cornwall Police said the man was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot, less than 10 miles from Widdecombe’s home in Haytor. He remained in police custody Friday as detectives continued investigating the circumstances of the 78-year-old former Conservative minister’s death. Police have not released the suspect’s name or disclosed whether he knew Widdecombe.
Officers were called to Widdecombe’s home by the ambulance service at about 11:40 a.m. Thursday, police said. She was found dead inside the property. Detectives from the force’s Major Crime Investigation Team opened a murder inquiry and began forensic examinations, neighborhood interviews and reviews of closed-circuit television footage.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said investigators had consulted counterterrorism officers but did not believe the death was linked to terrorism. He also said police had no information indicating that the suspected killing was politically motivated. The investigation remained in its early stages, and authorities had not announced a possible motive.
A police cordon remained around the property Friday, and roads near the scene were closed while specialists examined the home. Officers were also conducting house-to-house inquiries and seeking security-camera, doorbell-camera and dashboard-camera recordings from the Haytor area. Police asked the public to avoid speculation that could affect the investigation or cause further distress to Widdecombe’s family.
Widdecombe represented a constituency in Kent in the House of Commons from 1987 until 2010. She held several government posts under Conservative Prime Minister John Major, including prisons minister, and later served in the opposition shadow Cabinet. She was known for firm socially conservative positions and for speaking openly on national political issues.
After leaving the House of Commons, Widdecombe remained active in politics and public life. She joined the Brexit Party in 2019 and served as a member of the European Parliament for southwest England until Britain left the European Union in 2020. She later became associated with Reform UK and served as one of the party’s spokespeople.
Widdecombe also became widely known outside politics through television appearances. She competed on “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Celebrity Big Brother” and appeared regularly on political and entertainment programs. Her long career made her a recognizable figure in Britain even after she left elected office.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the news as shocking and said Widdecombe had been a distinguished politician with many achievements. He said political differences should be set aside as police worked to establish what happened. Leaders from several political parties also offered condolences to Widdecombe’s family and praised her years of public service.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called Widdecombe an extraordinary woman and said the country and his party were poorer without her. Her relatives asked for privacy, while police said specially trained officers were supporting her family.
The suspect had not been charged as of Friday. Police said the inquiry was moving quickly and that further information would be released when possible. Investigators continued forensic, CCTV and neighborhood inquiries around Widdecombe’s home.