A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe has been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation, police said.
Police Confirm Release of Suspect
On Saturday, Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the man's release from custody, following his arrest on Friday. The ex-Tory prisons minister was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries.
Investigation Continues
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said: “Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined. Detectives continue to carry out numerous enquiries as part of the ongoing investigation and we remain committed to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident.” He said the investigation was “moving at a significant pace”, adding: “We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened.”
Appeal for Information
Longman appealed to the public: “I would appeal to anyone who may have information about this incident, however insignificant it may seem, to come forward and speak with us. We will release further information when we are able to do so. In the meantime, I would ask people not to speculate about what might have happened, particularly on social media. This is not only potentially harmful to our investigation but also deeply distressing for family and friends of Miss Widdecombe. The family have also asked for their privacy to be respected as they come to terms with what has happened.”
Political Reactions
Devon and Cornwall Police previously said the case is “not being treated as terrorism” and there is “no information” at this time to suggest it was a “politically-motivated crime”. In a statement on social media, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the death was a “terrible reflection on modern Britain”. In a video statement, he added: “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 urged people to come together across political divides, saying he spoke to his likely successor Andy Burnham, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Mr Farage to “urge everybody to come together at a moment like this”. Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch said she “really struggled to find the words to say” following Miss Widdecombe’s death. “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,” she added.
Ann Widdecombe's Career
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 survived until the competition’s semi-finals thanks to the public vote. She became a member of Mr Farage’s Brexit Party in 2019 and served as an MEP representing South West England in Brussels between 2019 and 2020. She later 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. Miss Widdecombe was also due to be a guest on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show on Wednesday afternoon, 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.
