Police have launched a murder investigation into the death of former MP and minister Ann Widdecombe. The 78-year-old ex-Tory prisons minister, who later became a Brexit Party MEP and a Reform UK spokeswoman, was found dead at her home in Haytor, near Newton Abbott in Devon, on Thursday morning.
Discovery and police response
Devon and Cornwall Police said officers were called to an address in Haytor at 11.40am on Thursday and found Widdecombe dead with serious injuries. A manhunt has been launched for a white male believed to be responsible, police confirmed.
Widdecombe, who appeared on Talk radio on Wednesday, also gained fame outside politics after starring in Strictly Come Dancing in 2011.
Statements from authorities
Detective Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson said: “This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this difficult time. Our murder inquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace. We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened and to locate the person responsible who we believe to be a white male.”
Background and public reaction
Widdecombe served as a Conservative MP for Maidstone and later for Maidstone and The Weald from 1987 to 2010. She held ministerial roles including prisons minister under John Major. After leaving the Conservatives, she became a Brexit Party MEP in 2019 and later served as a spokeswoman for Reform UK. Her death has shocked the local community and political circles, with tributes pouring in from colleagues and friends.
