Nigel Farage claims 'car was seen on Ann Widdecombe’s drive' around time of murder - as he lays flowers near crime scene

The Reform UK leader added "from what I can make out, this was premeditated murder."

Devon & Cornwall police believe the former MP was attacked inside her home at 12:30pm on Wednesday July 8, around 24 hours before her body was discovered. The 78-year-old has sustained serious injuries.

A murder investigation is currently moving at pace as police seek a white British male suspected to be involved.

On Friday, a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He has since been released from custody and is no longer part of the probe.

Visiting the remote area of Dartmoor on Saturday, Farage laid flowers near the crime scene and described her murder as an "act of barbarity".

Answering questions from reporters at the scene, Farage said one theory doing the rounds it was a burglary that went wrong.

He added: "But the car went onto the drive at approximately 12:25, 12:30 on Wednesday.

"She'd done one interview in the morning, funnily enough, talking about Clacton and the fact she was going to come and support me, and she was due to do another one at 1 o'clock.

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"So if you were a burglar would you literally drive your car onto someone's drive? You wouldn't.

"From what I can see of it, from what I can make out, this was premeditated murder.

He added: "Whether it was politically motivated, whether it was somebody with a grudge, I don't think it pays at this moment in time to speculate."

Farage also said her death shows that for people in public life, especially politics, "the world is very much more dangerous than it's ever, ever been."

He also said Reform are trying to support the police in their investigation "in every way"

"We've got teams going through all of our emails to sort of pick out ones that were sent that either were directly to Anne, were abusive, or about Anne," he explained.

The attack is not being treated as terrorism and investigators are keeping an "open mind" as to a potential motive.

Carl Pearcey, manager of the Moorland Hotel at Haytor near Ann Widdecombe’s home, said the local community has been left deeply unsettled by the incident, with residents feeling "nervous" as no suspect has yet been arrested.

He added: "The police have been great. They've gone to great lengths to knock on doors and talk to people, including me, to reassure us that, from what they know, we're okay."

However, Mr Pearcey described the village as being “in limbo” while people wait for answers.

Paying tribute to the former MP, the hotel manager said the tragedy had “rocked everybody” in the quiet Dartmoor community, where even minor incidents are unusual.

He said: “She was brilliant around the village. She was always bubbly.

"I just always found her really friendly and really nice - just a lovely lady really."

LBC has contacted Devon & Cornwall police.