Police investigating the death of Reform UK immigration and justice spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe have released the only man arrested in connection with the case, while insisting the hunt for those responsible remains ongoing.
The 78-year-old former Conservative minister was found dead with serious injuries at her home in Haytor, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, on Thursday. Her management team confirmed her death the following day, saying they were “absolutely devastated” by what had happened.
Devon and Cornwall Police have launched a murder investigation but said there is “no information that this is a politically motivated crime” and that the case is not being treated as terrorism-related.
A 26-year-old, described as a “white British man”, arrested on suspicion of murder on the day Widdecombe’s body was discovered has now been released and is no longer part of the investigation.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said: “Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined.”
Widdecombe served as a Conservative MP from 1987 until 2010 and was Home Office and Employment minister under Prime Minister John Major between 1994 and 1997. After leaving Parliament, she became widely known through television appearances, including *Strictly Come Dancing* and *Celebrity Big Brother*.
A prominent supporter of Brexit, she joined the Brexit Party in 2019, later serving as a Member of the European Parliament before the party became Reform UK. For the past three years she had been the party’s immigration and justice spokeswoman.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described Widdecombe as “a remarkable, principled woman” and suggested her death may have been the result of “a burglary gone wrong”, calling it “a terrible reflection on modern Britain.”
“I do fear that for anybody in public life, or especially the political space, things have become even more dangerous,” Farage said.
Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Widdecombe’s death as “shocking news” and urged political leaders “to urge everybody to come together”, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the circumstances surrounding her death were “extremely distressing.”
Police have appealed for information as inquiries continue.
