Authorities in England have arrested a man in connection with the murder of right-wing British political and television personality Anne Widdicombe, after she was found dead with serious injuries in her home on Thursday.
Police said in a press conference on Friday evening that a 26-year-old man had been arrested in Newton Abbot in Devon. Matt Longman, Devon and Cornwall’s assistant chief constable, told the press on Friday evening that the violent murder of 78-year-old Widcombe was unlikely to be a “politically motivated crime”. Investigators said the case was not being treated as a terrorist attack.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This is truly shocking news and I think my thoughts, I think all our thoughts, will be with Anne Widdecombe’s family and friends at this difficult time.” “Anne was an outstanding politician over many years with many accomplishments, and this is a very terrible loss.”
On Thursday, police said they arrived at the house in Hightower, Devon, southwest England, to find that Widdecombe had been seriously injured. Devon and Cornwall Police said in a statement: “The murder investigation is still in its early stages but is moving at a rapid pace.”
For two decades, Widdicombe served in the British Parliament for Maidstone and the Weald, from 1987 to 2010, after spending time as a minister in the 1990s under Prime Minister John Major. She retired in 2010 but was forced to return to British politics after the 2016 Brexit vote, which saw the UK narrowly vote to leave the European Union.
Widdecombe then began representing the Brexit Party as a Member of the European Parliament. This continued for two years, and she still works with the party – now called Reform UK – as its spokesperson.
Having established herself in British politics for the first two-thirds of her career, Widdicombe began a television career in 2002 that has left an indelible mark, from her time in television. The right celebrity club For the guest host of the news quiz show Do I have news for you? Her intelligence and personality led to appearances on multiple episodes of the ITV soap ann Widdecombe Vs, In which she spoke with people about key issues during her time in office.
In 2010, she won the hearts of the British public through her participation in the competition series broadcast on BBC One. Strictly Come Dancing, Introduction to the American series Dancing with the stars. From there, she became a fixture on British reality television, where she appeared Celebrity Big Brother and BBC series Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.
As of Friday night, British authorities had not revealed the name of the arrested suspect or explained the possible motive for the crime. A statement issued by the police asked the public not to speculate about the crime on social media as they demanded that any other evidence be presented.
A police statement said: “We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the vicinity of Haytor Vale or Haytor or anyone with CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage that could assist our investigations.”
