Former Conservative MP and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe, 78, was found dead in a pool of blood in her kitchen at her Haytor home on Dartmoor on Thursday, July 11, 2026. Devon and Cornwall Police have launched a murder investigation and are hunting the suspect. A 26-year-old man initially arrested on suspicion of murder was released without charge on Saturday and is no longer part of the inquiry.
Time and Location
Police were called to Widdecombe's home around 11:40 a.m. on Thursday by the ambulance service. She was found dead with serious injuries consistent with being repeatedly struck with a blunt object in her kitchen. Her next-of-kin are receiving support from specially trained officers.
Police Investigation
On Friday, a 26-year-old white British male was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot on suspicion of murder. Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman stated the case was "not being treated as terrorism" and there was "no information" suggesting it was a "politically-motivated crime." The suspect was released on Saturday and is no longer part of the investigation. Longman said the investigation was progressing at a "significant pace" and urged anyone with information to come forward, adding: "Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined." Police believe the killer may have been captured on CCTV in the area.
The Victim
Ann Widdecombe served as a Conservative MP from 1987 to 2010 for the Kent seat of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald, and held ministerial roles under Sir John Major. After leaving Parliament, she appeared on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, reaching the semi-finals with Anton du Beke. She joined Nigel Farage's Brexit Party in 2019 and served as an MEP for South West England from 2019 to 2020. She later became immigration and justice spokesperson for Reform UK and continued media work, appearing on TalkTV on Wednesday, July 10, just one day before her body was discovered.
Unanswered Calls
Widdecombe was scheduled to appear on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show on Wednesday but failed to turn up. She had been in contact with a programme researcher but went silent when they attempted to reach her for a Zoom interview. Phone calls and text messages sent after the broadcast went unanswered, and the production team contacted her representative later on Wednesday and again on Thursday.
Response from Politicians
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described Widdecombe's death and the murder inquiry as a "terrible reflection on modern Britain." In a video statement, he said: "And I do fear that for anybody in public life, or especially the political space, things have become even more dangerous today." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for unity across political lines, revealing he had contacted his probable successor Andy Burnham, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, and Farage to "urge everybody to come together at a moment like this." Badenoch confessed she "really struggled to find the words to say" and added: "I don't understand how someone could do something so horrific to an elderly person. It was a nasty, horrific attack and my heart is breaking for her family."
Community in Shock
Christine Maloney, who lives near Widdecombe's home, described the area as "very safe," noting it was not unusual for people to leave cars and front doors unlocked. She said: "My husband saw her a week ago, driving around. I'm very shocked at (her death), it shouldn't have happened, it's horrific. Everyone knows that's her house, perhaps that's the problem? It's got to be someone that's local or knows her. Whoever did it, I think they should put him out for the locals to deal with him." Alison and Simon Gilbert, who have lived in Haytor Vale for over a decade, said Widdecombe was a well-known local figure. Mrs. Gilbert said: "She was a nice woman, really nice woman, and she had a great sense of humour. It's a lovely area – you talk to strangers. Everyone saw her as quite an opinionated politician, but to us she was just a person in the community. First of all, we got back and saw police and thought maybe it was a burglary, a lot of us suspected she had a heart attack or something." Mr. Gilbert added: "She didn't deserve to die like that."
