Devon and Cornwall Police have arrested a 26-year-old white British man on suspicion of murdering former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe at her home in Devon. The 78-year-old was found with serious injuries after police were called by the ambulance service at around 11:40am on Thursday, July 9.
Arrest and Investigation
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman announced the arrest at a press conference on Friday afternoon, stating that the suspect was taken into custody at an address in Newton Abbot. “The suspect, who is a white British national, remains in police custody while inquiries continue,” Longman said. He confirmed that detectives from the major crime investigation team had consulted Counter Terrorism Policing but that the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
Longman added: “A cordon remains in place at the property, while specialist officers continue forensic examinations. There are road closures in place around the scene, and the public will see significant police activity in the area while detectives and other officers continue house-to-house and CCTV inquiries.”
No Wider Threat
Longman emphasized that there is no known wider threat to the public. “We are deploying all the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened,” he said. He appealed for anyone with information to come forward via a major incident public portal set up by the force, and urged the public not to speculate on social media, as it could harm the investigation and distress the family.
When asked if the crime was politically motivated, Longman replied: “No, at this time, again it’s early stages of the investigation, so we remain open-minded. I’ve got no information to believe that that is a politically motivated crime.” He declined to comment on whether the suspect was known to Ms Widdecombe, stating it was too early to say.
Tributes and Background
Sir Keir Starmer expressed his shock, saying: “This is really shocking news… Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it’s a huge, huge loss.” Ms Widdecombe served as a Home Office minister and prisons minister, and was known for her clash with Michael Howard, famously saying he had “something of the night about him.” She also faced criticism for defending the shackling of pregnant prisoners.
After leaving the Commons, she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 with Anton du Beke, reaching the semi-finals. Du Beke paid tribute: “I had the most brilliant time with Ann… She was fun. She was upbeat. She was positive. She was supportive. This is a sad day and I’m devastated by the news… but I shall remember her fondly, and miss her.”
