Threats to politicians are a threat to our democracy, says Foreign Secretary after ‘horrific’ Ann Widdecombe murder
Threats to politicians are a threat to democracy, the Foreign Secretary has told LBC in the wake of the “horrific” murder of Ann Widdecombe.
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Yvette Cooper said the police had uncovered “new evidence” which is why counter-terror cops have now taken over the probe into the tragic death of the 78-year old former MP and MEP.
She said the case was “extremely disturbing” and everyone must support the police “to make sure that everything possible can be done to get justice”.
Speaking to LBC in Brussels on the sidelines of a summit of EU foreign ministers in support of the Palestine Donor Fund, she said “information they’ve got in front of them” has led the police to bump up the investigation into Ms Widdecombe’s murder.
She was found dead at her home in Devon last week, with a nationwide manhunt sparked for her killer.
On Saturday, a 28-year-old British white man was arrested 270 miles away in Rotherham and is still being questioned by police.
He’s been re-arrested under terrorism offences.
Ms Cooper said she took threats to politicians “really seriously” and had done so since the murder of her friend, the former Labour MP Jo Cox, who was killed in 2016.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, has said it’s a very dangerous time to be a politician in the wake of her murder.
Police originally said there was no evidence to suggest the killing was politically motivated, but are still keeping an open mind, and are now pursuing multiple lines of enquiry.
When grilled on if politicians have enough security, Ms Cooper told LBC: "So obviously there's issues around policing, and also for Parliament about making sure that, that people can get security.
"We don't know the full circumstances in this case yet, and obviously, look, we are 10 years on from the terrible murder of Jo Cox, who was a West Yorkshire friend and neighbour for me.
"I've always taken really seriously the issues around making sure that there's proper security in a democracy, because this is about threats to democracy as well as threats to people's safety.
"So I know that always has to be taken very seriously.”
On the issue of whether the upgrade of the investigation means there’s now evidence it’s politically motivated, she added: “This is a matter for the police to pursue the investigation.
"As I understand it, they've made this decision now to have this being led by counter-terrorism police because of new evidence that they have now uncovered and because of the information that they've got in front of them.
"That has to be a decision for them.
"But look, the backdrop to this is this is an extremely disturbing case.
"It is just absolutely horrific, what has happened to Anne , who was somebody who had been well known across the country, and, and many of us will have had debates with through very many years.
"So I think what's happened is just truly awful, and it's really important that everybody supports the police to make sure that everything possible can be done to get justice.”
She said she backed police forces "across the country who take this incredibly seriously” and are working “immensely hard” on the investigation, adding: "I think everybody really should support this police investigation, make sure that it can get to the truth about what has happened, and make sure that it can get justice in this absolutely horrendous case.”
Police said over the weekend they believe she was killed at around 12.30pm on Wednesday.
They asked for evidence from CCTV and doorbell footage from members of the public to assist their investigation.
Former Conservative MP and MEP Ms Widdecombe had joined the Reform UK party in 2023 and regularly appeared on the media as one of their spokespeople.
Mr Farage visited her Devon home on Saturday and paid tribute to her.
He has suggested her murder was pre-meditated.