A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of former MP and government minister Ann Widdecombe.
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the man, who is a white British national, was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot, Devon, on Friday and is in custody.
The body of the 78-year-old former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson was found by police with serious injuries at her home in Haytor, a rural village on Dartmoor in Devon, at about 11:40 BST on Thursday.
The incident is not being treated as terrorism, after counter-terror policing was involved as part of “initial enquiries”.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman told a news conference on Friday they currently have “no information to believe that that is a politically motivated crime” – and it was “too early” to comment on whether or not the suspect was known to Widdecombe.
He said the investigation was in the early stages and urged anyone with information to come forward.
Widdecombe’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
The prime minister and other political leaders said they were stunned by the development on Friday afternoon.
Sir Keir Starmer said it was “really shocking”, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “stunned to hear this awful news”.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was “deeply, deeply upset by the nature of her death”.
Widdecombe’s political career spanned decades. She served as MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years, and worked as a Home Office and employment minister in Sir John Major’s government between 1994 to 1997.
After leaving Parliament she embarked on a showbiz career, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.
A staunch supporter of the UK’s departure from the EU, she became an MEP for the Brexit Party, representing South West England in the European Parliament between 2019 and 2020.
In 2023, Widdecombe joined Farage’s Reform UK party, after it changed its name from the Brexit Party, and made a number of appearances as the party’s immigration and justice spokesperson.