U.K. counterterrorism police take over former MP Ann Widdecombe death probe
Police initially said her death was not believed to be terror-related but on Monday, it was announced counter-terror police were taking over the investigation.
An investigation into the suspected killing of former British politician Ann Widdecombe is now being led by U.K. counterterrorism police, investigators said, days after announcing there was no evidence to suggest it was an act of terror.
A 28-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder after Widdecombe, 78, was found dead inside her home in an isolated village in Devon, southwest England, on Thursday, was re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, Counter Terrorism Policing South East said in an update Monday, according to The Associated Press.
The suspect was first arrested on Saturday in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, two days after Widdecombe’s body was discovered. Rotherham is more than 320 kilometres from the former MP’s rural home.
The suspect has not been named because he has not been charged.
Devon and Cornwall police initially said her death was not believed to be terror-related, saying there was no evidence to suggest it was politically motivated, but on Monday, it was announced that counterterrorism police were taking over the investigation.
“We are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for this attack,” head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said in a statement to British media.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood wrote on X on Monday that she had spoken with the head of counterterrorism police and that it was in the process of establishing the motivation for the “attack” on Widdecombe.
“We are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for this attack. Our priority is progressing this investigation quickly, with all the capabilities we have available to us. If anyone has any information, please share it with the police,” Taylor said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement Friday that the entire country was “utterly shocked” by the circumstances of Widdecombe’s death and urged people to “come together” across party lines.
Widdecombe, a former Conservative MP, Brexit Party member, member of the European Parliament and Reform U.K. spokesperson for Immigration and Justice, was found deceased by the ambulance service, which observed “serious injuries,” police said, without disclosing her cause of death.
Authorities said they believe Widdecombe was attacked at around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Concerns were raised for her after she failed to appear for a scheduled TV interview on Wednesday afternoon.
Her alleged murder sent shock waves through British politics, where Widdecombe had been a prominent voice for decades, known for her robust personality and socially conservative views opposing abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights.
She was a lawmaker in the House of Commons from 1987 to 2010, serving in various roles, including prisons minister in then-prime minister John Major’s 1990s Conservative government.
Widdecombe later found fame after leaving Parliament as a contestant on the reality television shows Strictly Come Dancing — the British version of Dancing with the Stars — and Celebrity Big Brother, before joining the Brexit Party.
Widdecombe lived in a bungalow named Widdecombe’s Rest in Haytor, a village in Dartmoor National Park. A plaque bearing the property’s name stood at the end of the driveway.
— with files from The Associated Press
This story was originally published by Global News on July 13, 2026. CityAM Canada is republishing it for our Canadian readers.