Express reporter Adam Toms visited Haytor Vale in Devon, the remote village where Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe lived and was murdered on Wednesday, July 11, 2026. He found a community in shock, with floral tributes laid at The Moorland Hotel and key party figures visibly emotional.
Community Mourns a Political Firebrand
Widdecombe, 78, was found dead in her home on Thursday. She had suddenly fallen silent during a WhatsApp conversation with a Channel 5 producer, apparently killed before she could log into a Zoom interview. Locals told Toms they need answers. Colleague Lee Anderson demanded justice, while Reform UK leader Richard Tice was visibly emotional as he spoke to supporters in the car park of The Moorland Hotel, where flowers had been placed.
Key party figures Zia Yusuf and Danny Kruger were also present, bowing as they laid tributes. Toms noted the scene resembled an event marking the passing of a member of the Royal Family. “We tend to forget that while politics is a tough game it is played by human beings, who grow to have deep respect and affection for one another,” he wrote.
Ann Widdecombe: A Life of Aura and Unfiltered Views
Toms, who never met Widdecombe, recalled sitting in the audience of a televised Brexit debate years ago. Despite her small stature—five foot one and a half, as she told Louis Theroux in 2002, adding “And don’t forget the half”—she had what young people call aura. People who met her described her dry sense of humour and unflinching views.
In 2019, she suggested science might one day “produce an answer” to being gay, views Toms called “quite backwards.” Yet she was also said to be very caring, strict but kind and with good intentions. Her unfiltered honesty was what made many Brits love her, exemplified in the 2015 BBC show 24 Hours in the Past, where she shouted at actor Tyger Drew-Honey: “Young man, you are stupid!” after he lost a penny on a bet.
Suspect and Investigation
Neighbours described the suspect as “a loner who went a bit loopy after his dad died,” according to reports. The suspect allegedly drove 270 miles to Devon on the day of the murder. Police are continuing their investigation.
