Murder Probe After Ex-MP Ann Widdecombe Found Dead

POLICY WIRE — London, UK — A murder investigation is underway after former Member of Parliament Ann Widdecombe, 78, was found dead with serious injuries at her home in Devon on Thursday, July 9. Police believe she was attacked approximately 24 hours before her body was discovered, according to police statements. A 26-year-old British national was arrested on Friday in connection with the death but has since been released and is no longer part of the investigation, with a manhunt for a suspect continuing, police reported on Saturday.

Ms. Widdecombe was scheduled to appear on Channel 5’s 5 Daytime program on Wednesday, July 8, but stopped responding to messages around 12:19 PM, ITV News reported. Channel 5 presenter Dan Walker confirmed that Ms. Widdecombe didn’t appear for her scheduled slot. Host Matt Allwright expressed concern on air, according to ITV News. Her final television appearance was on Talk TV on Wednesday, where she defended Nigel Farage’s re-election bid in Clacton.

Devon and Cornwall Police launched the murder inquiry following the discovery of her body at 11:40 AM on Thursday, July 9. The Independent reported that police were seen searching hedges — and lanes around Ms. Widdecombe’s bungalow in Haytor Vale. Officers are restricting access to the village, and local businesses have displayed signs requesting journalists to refrain from approaching staff, as the area has seen an influx of reporters.

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, stated that the party had reviewed emails for patterns of abuse directed at Ms. Widdecombe but found no specific pattern, only general abuse common in public life. Mr. Farage told journalists he had spoken with the Devon and Cornwall Police chief constable and police and crime commissioner, who are receiving national police support for the investigation.

Ms. Widdecombe, a prominent figure in British politics and media, served as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Maidstone in Kent from 1987 to 2010. She held ministerial roles, including Minister of State for Prisons and Employment under John Major’s government, and later served as shadow home secretary and shadow health secretary. After leaving Parliament, she participated in television programs such as Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother. She returned to politics in 2019 with the Brexit Party, later Reform UK, serving as a Member of the European Parliament and subsequently as Reform UK’s immigration and justice spokesperson from 2023 to 2026. Her agents stated her career was “driven by her strong Christian values and commitment to public service.”

Ms. Widdecombe had moved to Haytor Vale seeking a quieter life. Peter Cornthwaite, a local contractor, told The Times that he never observed security measures at her home, noting She didn’t have a secure garden, no gate or anything.