British man, 26, arrested in murder investigation of firebrand ex-MP Ann Widdecombe

Detectives launched a murder enquiry on Friday after former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Haytor, inside Dartmoor National Park. The 78-year-old, who served as a prisons minister under John Major and later became a prominent Eurosceptic, was discovered with severe head injuries, according to reports. A 26-year-old white British man was arrested on Friday afternoon in the nearby town of Newton Abbot. Police have consulted counter-terrorism officers but, based on initial enquiries, are not treating the death as a terrorist incident.

The discovery

Officers were called to Widdecombe's address by the ambulance service at around 11:40 am on Thursday. They found her inside the property, where she lived alone, with what Devon and Cornwall Police described as "serious injuries". A cordon was established and forensic teams, house‑to‑house enquiries and CCTV trawls began immediately. Detective Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson appealed for dashcam, doorbell or security footage from the area and urged anyone who noticed suspicious people or vehicles in Haytor Vale between 9 and 10 July to come forward.

Our murder enquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace. We are deploying all the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened.

The suspect

On Friday afternoon detectives arrested a 26‑year‑old white British man at an address in Newton Abbot. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said officers remain "open-minded" as to whether the murder was politically motivated or whether Widdecombe knew the suspect. The force has consulted Counter Terrorism Policing as part of "initial enquiries" but confirmed the case is not being treated as a terrorist incident. The man remains in custody.

I would appeal to anyone who may have information about this incident, however insignificant it may seem, to come forward and speak with us.

Political reaction

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke from Chequers, calling the news "really shocking" and hailing Widdecombe as a "distinguished politician over many, many years". He stressed the need to rise above political differences, adding that the single most important thing was helping police identify the suspect, whom he described as "clearly dangerous". Starmer confirmed he had spoken to the chief constable, the Speaker of the House and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.

I think this is really important that this is a moment where we rise above any political differences, the political divide.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the death as "extremely shocking" and said the Home Office stood ready to provide any support required. She also urged the public to avoid speculation.

Widdecombe’s career

Widdecombe was first elected to the Commons in 1987 and served as a prisons minister in John Major’s government. A devout Catholic with socially conservative views, she opposed abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights. After leaving Parliament in 2010 she became a Eurosceptic campaigner, backing Vote Leave in 2016, sitting as a Brexit Party MEP from 2019 to 2020 and later joining Nigel Farage’s Reform UK as a spokeswoman. She also appeared on reality shows including Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.

Next steps

Devon and Cornwall Police say road closures remain in place around the scene and the public will see significant activity as officers continue house‑to‑house and CCTV inquiries. Detective Chief Inspector Rosson asked people not to speculate on social media, warning it could harm the investigation and cause distress to Widdecombe’s family. Formal identification and a post‑mortem examination are expected in the coming days.