What we know about Ann Widdecombe's death as man is arrested for her murder
A 28-year-old white British man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe. The suspect was detained in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, shortly after 9pm on Saturday July 11 and remains in police custody. A 26-year-old man initially arrested on Friday has been released and is no longer part of the investigation.
Widdecombe, aged 78, was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor at approximately 11.40am on Thursday July 9 after sustaining serious injuries. Police believe she was attacked at about 12.30pm on Wednesday, nearly 24 hours before she was discovered.
The former minister was scheduled to appear on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show via video link at 1pm on Wednesday. She had appeared on TalkTV that morning and messaged a producer at 12.19pm but failed to respond to a subsequent message at 12.48pm asking if everything was alright.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman of Devon and Cornwall Police stated: "At this point there is still no information to suggest that this is a terrorism-related incident and at this point we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this murder." He confirmed: "At this stage there is nothing to suggest that it was politically motivated."
Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP for Maidstone in 1987 and served in ministerial positions during the 1990s before stepping down in 2010. She later became an MEP for the Brexit Party from 2019 to 2020 and served as immigration and justice spokeswoman for Reform UK. She gained wider public recognition through television appearances, including Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, where she was partnered with Anton du Beke and reached the semi-finals, and later Celebrity Big Brother.
Following her death, Reform UK has provided round-the-clock security for its senior politicians. Police have received over 120 reports of information from the public and urged people not to speculate about the case. Officers warned that speculation is unhelpful to the investigation and deeply distressing to Widdecombe's family and friends.