Newton Abbot, United Kingdom. British police said on Friday they arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of murdering former government minister and Reform UK politician Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead at her home after sustaining serious injuries. Widdecombe was 78.
Arrest and investigation
Police said the suspect, described as a white British man, was arrested in Newton Abbot, a town about 9 miles from Widdecombe’s home in rural southwest England.
Devon and Cornwall police assistant chief constable Matt Longman said there was no information to suggest the killing was related to terrorism or had a political motive.
Police said officers were called to Widdecombe’s home shortly after midday on Thursday, where she was found dead. Forensic examinations at the property were ongoing, they said.
Political reaction
Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to “Ann’s dedication during her many years of public service”.
Public life and political profile
Widdecombe was known for her socially conservative views. She served as a junior minister in Conservative prime minister John Major’s government from 1992 to 1997 and later became an immigration and justice spokesperson for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Throughout her political career, she was known for her bluntness and her opposition to abortion and to equalising the age of consent for homosexual and heterosexual relationships.
Context
Two serving British members of parliament have been murdered in the last decade.
Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed by a Nazi-obsessed loner during the Brexit campaign in 2016. Conservative lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death in 2021 by a man inspired by the militant group Islamic State.
