UK police release suspect held over murder of Ann Widdecombe
Police officers investigate the area near the home of 78-year-old former government minister Ann Widdecombe after she was found dead, in Haytor, Britain, July 11, 2026. REUTERS/Jack Taylor
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LONDON: British police said on Saturday (Jul 11) that they had released a man detained over the suspected murder of veteran right-wing politician Ann Widdecombe.
The 78-year-old former Conservative minister was found dead with “serious injuries” on Thursday at her home in Devon, southwest England, according to police.
“A 26-year-old man who was arrested on Friday (Jul 10) on suspicion of murder has since been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation,” they said in a statement on Saturday morning.
Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said officers believed Ms Widdecombe was attacked 24 hours before her body was found.
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“We believe the attack took place on Wednesday (Jul 8) at around 12.30pm,” he said in the statement, adding that police were still looking for a white male suspect.
Mr Longman had said on Friday he “had no information to say it was a politically motivated crime” and that her death was not being treated as terror-related.
“Detectives continue to carry out numerous enquiries as part of the ongoing investigation and we remain committed to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.
A LIFE IN POLITICS
Ms Widdecombe, a Conservative MP from 1987 to 2010, was known for her Christian faith and outspoken views.
In 1995, as prisons minister, she was embroiled in a row after defending a policy of chaining pregnant prisoners to prevent them from escaping.
A staunch supporter of Brexit, Ms Widdecombe left the Conservatives in 2019 to join the hard-right party of anti-immigration leader Nigel Farage.
Mr Farage on Friday called her death a “terrible reflection on modern Britain” in a video posted on social media.
“I do fear that for anybody in public life, or especially the political space, things have become even more dangerous today,” he said.
Source: AFP/fs
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