British Police Launch Murder Investigation Into Death of Ann Widdecombe

By Staff, Agencies

British police have launched a murder investigation following the death of Ann Widdecombe, a former government minister and immigration and justice spokesperson for Reform UK.

Widdecombe, 78, was found dead with serious injuries at her home in Haytor on the edge of Dartmoor National Park on Thursday. Her management team announced her death the following day, saying they were "absolutely devastated" by the incident.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the investigation is being treated as a murder inquiry but stressed there is no indication that the killing was politically motivated or linked to terrorism.

Police also announced that a 26-year-old British man who had been arrested on suspicion of murder on the day of Widdecombe's death has been released and is no longer considered part of the investigation.

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said investigators remain focused on identifying those responsible and examining all available evidence.

Widdecombe served as a Conservative Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010 and held the positions of Home Office minister and Employment minister in the government of former Prime Minister John Major between 1994 and 1997.

Following her departure from Parliament, she became widely known through appearances on television programs including Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.

A prominent supporter of Brexit, Widdecombe returned to politics in 2019 as a member of the Brexit Party, later renamed Reform UK. She also served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2020.

For the past three years, she served as Reform UK's immigration and justice spokesperson.

Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer described her death as "shocking news" and called on political leaders to promote unity, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the circumstances surrounding her death were "extremely distressing."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage paid tribute to Widdecombe as "a remarkable, principled woman" and suggested the killing may have resulted from "a burglary gone wrong," describing the incident as "a terrible reflection on modern Britain."