Ann Widdecombe murder ‘not politically motivated’, say police - as man, 28, still in custody

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The 78-year-old former politician was found on Thursday with serious injuries at her remote Dartmoor cottage.

Devon & Cornwall Police believe she was attacked inside her home at 12:30pm on Wednesday, meaning she was found 24 hours after her death.

A 28-year-old man was arrested in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, at around 9pm on Saturday night on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday morning, Matt Longman, Assistant chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, added that they are “not looking for anyone else” in connection with her death.

He told reporters there is still no information to suggest that this is a terrorism-related incident nor politically motivated.

He added that detectives “remain open-minded about the potential motive” and stressed it is not believed there is any threat to the wider public.

The force received more than 120 reports of information after making a public appeal, and Mr Longman asked anyone who had not yet come forward to do so "as a priority".

They also reiterated their plea for people not to speculate on social media, adding it was "unhelpful" and "distressing" for Widdecombe's relatives.

On Friday, a 26-year-old white British man from Newton Abbott, Devon, was arrested on suspicion of murder.

On Saturday morning the police confirmed he has been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation.

Widdecombe's political career spanned decades, serving as MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years, before going on to join Reform UK.

In her post-Commons career, she appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, partnered with Anton du Beke, and reached the semi-finals thanks to the public vote.

Tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum following the announcement.

Yesterday, Nigel Farage travelled to Dartmoor where he laid flowers near the scene of the crime.

It was also on Sunday reported Reform UK MPs are being given 24h security protection in wake of the killing, according to the Mail on Sunday.

Widdecombe was also due to be a guest on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show on Wednesday, but did not appear, as first reported by ITV.

She had exchanged messages with a researcher from the show, but did not respond when they tried to contact her to join a Zoom call from home.

Calls and texts sent after the programme aired remained unanswered, ITV said, and the Channel 5 show’s team followed up with her agent later on Wednesday and on Thursday.

Who is Ann Widdecombe?

Miss Widdecombe was a Conservative MP between 1987 and 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald, and held several ministerial positions in Sir John Major’s government.

In her post-Commons career, she appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, partnered with Anton du Beke, and reached the semi-finals thanks to the public vote.

She also appeared on other high-profile shows such a Big Brother and Have I Got News For You.

Throughout the 2010s, she also found a new career on stage, playing pantomime characters including the evil queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. She starred alongside notable names including Craig Revel Horwood and Basil Brush.

She became a member of Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party from 2019 and served as an MEP representing South West England in Brussels between 2019 and 2020.

Miss Widdecombe became immigration and justice spokeswoman for Mr Farage’s Reform UK and remained active in the media – she appeared on TalkTV on Wednesday, the day before she was found dead.