A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe. Miss Widdecombe was found dead at her home on Dartmoor, Devon, on Thursday morning after suffering serious head injuries. Police believe that she was attacked nearly 24 hours before her body was discovered.
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”.
Who Was Ann Widdecombe?
Ann Widdecombe was born in Bath, Somerset, in 1947. She served as Conservative MP for Maidstone, later Maidstone and The Weald, in Kent for 23 years. She was also Minister of State for Employment from 1994 to 1995 and Minister of State for Prisons from 1995 to 1997 under John Major.
Following her time in government, she found fame outside politics after appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and Celebrity Big Brother in 2018. A supporter of the UK's departure from the EU, she later became a Brexit Party MEP, representing South West England in the European Parliament between 2019 and 2020. She subsequently became a Reform UK spokeswoman in 2023.
What Happened and When?
Devon and Cornwall Police were called to Miss Widdecombe’s home in Haytor Vale, a village within the Dartmoor National Park, at around 11:40am on Thursday, where they found her dead with serious injuries. Her death was announced on Friday morning.
In a statement, her management team said: "We know this news will come as a great shock to the many colleagues and friends she made along the way." On Friday afternoon, police issued a statement saying they had launched a murder investigation. Her management team then released a further statement, saying they were "absolutely devastated" by news of the investigation after a “very traumatic and upsetting 24 hours".
The Suspect and Arrest
A 26-year-old white British man was arrested on Friday on suspicion of murder but was released from custody on Saturday and is no longer under investigation. On Saturday, a 28-year-old white British national was arrested on suspicion of murder around 270 miles away in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Counter-terrorism officers from North East and South Yorkshire Police assisted with the arrest, though there is no suggestion the incident is terrorism-related.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman has said officers are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to Miss Widdecombe’s death.
The Final Texts
While Miss Widdecombe’s body was discovered on Thursday morning, police believe she died around 12:30pm on Wednesday afternoon. She was scheduled to appear on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show at 1pm to answer questions about party leader Nigel Farage’s Clacton-on-Sea by-election and the inquiry into his finances.
Text messages released to the public show Miss Widdecombe talking to one of the show’s producers, with her final message sent at 12:19pm. She did not respond to a Zoom link sent at 12:48pm and failed to answer further calls and messages from production staff.
The Mystery Car
Numerous reports mention a “mystery car” seen near Miss Widdecombe’s house around the time of the attack. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told media he had been told a car was seen on her driveway at approximately 12:25 to 12:30pm on Wednesday.
The manager of a garage in Haytor alerted police at around 9am on Wednesday after his colleague spotted a dark VW Golf Mk4 parked in a “strange place” near Miss Widdecombe's home. He said: "[The Golf] was at the top of the lane near Ann's place. If it was a local they would have parked in the car park or one of the lay-bys. He was doing up his walking boots. He was in his late 20s, maybe early 30s. He was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. I remember thinking, 'Why is he parked there?' He was halfway out the lay-by. It didn't look like he fitted in. You don't see many late 20s, early 30s men around here. He was heading up in that direction [of Ann's house]." Police have not confirmed further details regarding the car or suspect.
The Stick
The Sun released CCTV footage they claim shows the suspect getting into a car with an object that appears to be a wooden stick in his shorts pocket. The footage appears to have been recorded shortly before 8am on Wednesday, four and a half hours and 267 miles away from the scene of the attack. The Sun also obtained CCTV they claim shows police arriving to arrest the man just before 10pm on Saturday, with officers in balaclavas storming the terraced property and arresting the suspect without a struggle.
Reactions to Her Death
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was "shocking news" and that his thoughts were with Widdecombe's family "at this awful time." He said: "This is really shocking news, and my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this awful time for them. Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it’s a huge, huge loss." He added that he had spoken to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, and Andy Burnham to “urge everybody to come together".
Ms Badenoch said: "I’ve been stunned to hear this awful news. Ann Widdecombe was a very fun and feisty woman who spoke her mind and she was 78 years old, she was an elderly woman. 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."
A spokeswoman for Andy Burnham said: "Andy’s deepest condolences and thoughts are with Ann’s family today, in incredibly distressing circumstances. Ann gave a lifetime of public service, and it’s absolutely right that the police put all their resources into investigating this as swiftly as possible."
Anton Du Beke, who was Miss Widdecombe’s dance partner on Strictly Come Dancing, said he was "devastated" to hear the news. In a video shared on X, he said: "I had the most brilliant time with Ann on Strictly Come Dancing. She became a real friend. She was fun. She was upbeat. She was positive. She was supportive. We had an incredible time together and we stayed firm friends. My thoughts go out to all of her nearest and dearest and all her family. This is a sad day and I’m devastated by the news of Ann’s passing but I shall remember her fondly, and miss her."
Alison and Simon Gilbert, who have lived in Haytor Vale for more than a decade, said Ann Widdecombe was a well-known figure locally. 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." Mr Gilbert added: "She didn’t deserve to die like that." One woman living in Haytor Vale, who did not wish to be named, said: "It’s tragic, someone gives all their life to public service and then they end like that. Haytor is a safe area. Every couple of years or so, somebody goes around the garden sheds and nicks all the expensive gardening equipment. That’s as far as it goes really. We’ve never had anything close to this in all my years."
