Man arrested on suspicion of Ann Widdecombe’s murder is released
A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering former MP Ann Widdecombe has been released from custody and is no longer considered a suspect, Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed early Saturday.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman stated:
"Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined.
Detectives continue to carry out numerous inquiries as part of the ongoing investigation and we remain committed to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident."
He added that the investigation was "moving at a significant pace." Authorities have previously indicated there is no evidence to suggest the crime was politically motivated or terror-related.
On Friday, police sought a white male in connection with Widdecombe’s death and later confirmed the arrest of a 26-year-old white British man at a Newton Abbot address, less than 10 miles from Widdecombe’s home in Haytor, Devon.
Widdecombe’s body was discovered with serious injuries by ambulance personnel at her residence at 11:40 a.m. on Thursday.
She served as a Conservative MP for Maidstone, Kent, from 1987 to 2010. In 2019, she joined the Brexit Party and was an MEP for South West England between 2019 and 2020. She was also affiliated with Reform UK, the Brexit Party’s successor.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage commented on Widdecombe’s alleged murder, highlighting concerns about the increasing dangers faced by politicians in Britain:
"Our nation is a much, much poorer place without her. Reform UK is certainly a much worse place without her. I was expecting to see her in Clacton over the course of the next few days. Sadly, that is not going to happen.
Rest in peace, Ann. A remarkable, principled woman, and a truly dreadful way to die, and a terrible reflection on modern Britain.
And I do fear that for anybody in public life, or especially the political space, things have become even more dangerous."
Journalists from spoke with residents of Haytor following the news of Widdecombe’s death. Christine Maloney, a neighbour, described the area as very safe, noting that it was common for locals to leave cars and front doors unlocked.
"My husband saw her a week ago, driving around. I’m very shocked at (her death), it shouldn’t have happened, it’s horrific.
Everyone knows that’s her house, perhaps that’s the problem? It’s very, very safe around here.
I leave my car open, I leave my front door open – not now."
There remains a significant police presence in Haytor as the investigation continues and evidence is collected.
Ann Widdecombe’s obituary extract
According to an obituary by a colleague, those who appeared with Widdecombe on broadcasts were sometimes surprised by her nervousness and shyness beneath her forcefully expressed views.
She opposed abortion and the liberalisation of LGBTQ+ rights, positions influenced by her religious beliefs. Widdecombe was Eurosceptic, campaigning for Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party after being expelled from the Conservatives in 2019. She was also a climate change sceptic and supported reintroducing the death penalty. Notably, she opposed fox hunting, which contrasted with some right-wing views.
In 1990, after John Major became party leader and prime minister, Widdecombe was appointed junior minister at the Department of Social Security, focusing on benefits. She later served in Employment and, in 1995, became prisons minister under Home Secretary Michael Howard.
During her tenure as prisons minister, she faced criticism over claims that female prisoners might be handcuffed during childbirth. The policy was that women would be handcuffed en route to hospital but not during labour.
Ann Widdecombe profile: socially conservative politician who embraced TV fame
Widdecombe retired from Westminster in 2010 at age 62 after 23 years as an MP, including seven years as a junior minister under John Major. Despite being a devout Catholic with conservative views on morality and law and order, she did not take herself too seriously.
Her unexpected popularity surged after her 2010 participation in Strictly Come Dancing, where judges likened her to the Ark Royal, a Dalek in drag, Vera Duckworth’s grandmother, haemorrhoids, and other colorful comparisons. She later explained her participation as a way to have fun in retirement.
She also made various media appearances, including as an agony aunt on Celebrity Fit Club, brief writing for , hosting roles, and cameos on shows like Sooty and Doctor Who. Despite her media presence, she maintained firm personal moral stances. In 2018, during Celebrity Big Brother, she was accused of victim-blaming in a discussion about Harvey Weinstein’s victims, stating:
"It’s down to them."
Throughout her life, Widdecombe opposed abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, criticized gay marriage, supported “gay cure” conversion therapy, and opposed same-sex couples on Strictly Come Dancing, commenting on boxer Nicola Adams’s pairing:
"I don’t think it is what viewers of Strictly, especially families, are looking for."
On Friday, political leaders expressed shock and sorrow over the alleged killing. Labour leader Keir Starmer emphasized the need to "rise above any political differences" and support the police investigation.
"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."
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she was "stunned" by the murder inquiry and that the party was "reeling" from the news, adding:
"To be honest, I’ve really struggled to find the words to say."
Andy Burnham, MP for Makerfield, described the news as "terrible" and extended his sympathies to Widdecombe’s friends and family. Burnham, a likely future prime minister, praised her for bringing "conviction, wit and personality to public life over many years."
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey wrote on social media, offering thoughts and prayers to her family and describing Widdecombe as a "woman of deep faith who devoted her life to public service."
Channel 5 News presenter Dan Walker confirmed on social media that Widdecombe was scheduled to appear on Channel 5 on Wednesday afternoon but did not attend. He stated:
"Ann was due to appear on 5 Daytime on Wednesday afternoon but stopped responding to messages and didn’t turn up for the show. The team contacted her agent to ask them to check in on her. This information has been passed to police as it’s part of the investigation."
Widdecombe, who appeared on TalkTV on Wednesday, lived in Haytor Vale, a village within Dartmoor National Park, in a 1970s bungalow named Widdecombe’s Rest. A plaque bearing the property’s name was located at the end of her driveway.
She was 78 years old and was expected to be a guest on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show on Wednesday afternoon but failed to appear. She had exchanged messages with a researcher from the show but did not respond to attempts to join a Zoom call from home.
Calls and texts after the program aired went unanswered, and the Channel 5 team followed up with her agent on Wednesday and Thursday, according to .
