A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering Ann Widdecombe, a former British member of parliament and reality TV contestant, has been released by police and is no longer a suspect in the investigation.
Police Release Suspect, Continue Investigation
Devon and Cornwall Police announced on Saturday morning local time that the man, a white British national taken into custody on Friday at an address in Newton Abbot, Devon, has been released from custody. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman stated: "Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined."
Widdecombe, 78, was found dead on Thursday in her Haytor Vale home on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in southwest England. Police said she sustained "serious injuries." The killing is not believed to be an act of terror, and there is no information to suggest it was politically motivated, Longman added.
Ongoing Forensic Work and Public Appeal
A cordon remains in place at the Haytor Vale home while specialist officers continue forensic examinations. Longman said there will be a significant police presence in the area as detectives conduct house-to-house and CCTV enquiries. He appealed for anyone with information, however insignificant, to come forward.
"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," Longman said. "Our murder enquiry 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."
Political and Public Reaction
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Widdecombe's death "really shocking news" and extended condolences to her family and friends. "Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it's a huge, huge loss," he said. Starmer emphasized that the security of lawmakers is "of the utmost importance" and urged people to rise above political differences.
Widdecombe served in the House of Commons as an MP from 1987 to 2010 and was known for her socially conservative views, opposing abortion rights and expansion of LGBTQ rights. After leaving Parliament, she gained fame as a contestant on reality TV shows Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother. She later joined the Brexit Party and became a spokeswoman for the anti-immigration Reform UK party.
Security Concerns for Politicians
Security has been tightened for politicians following the murders of two serving MPs in the past decade. Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, and Conservative MP David Amess was stabbed in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the Islamic State group. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform, said he was deeply upset over Widdecombe's death and noted that "things have become even more dangerous" for people in public life.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Widdecombe a "heroic Brexiteer and a great speaker who could move Tory audiences to such ecstasy that she was a very hard act to follow."
Tributes from Management and Colleagues
Cloud9 Management, the company that represented Widdecombe after she left politics, said her life and career were driven by strong Christian values and a commitment to public service. "She loved the cut and thrust of political debate and, 16 years after leaving Parliament, was still actively campaigning for Reform UK and offering forthright views on the hot topics of the day," the company said. Quoting Widdecombe, they added: "We get one go this side of eternity, one go. Life is not a dress rehearsal, you take opportunities that you like and you go for it, that's my philosophy."
