Former politician and reality TV star Ann Widdecombe was killed in a “targeted attack.” The motivation remains under investigation. British counterterror police provided this update on Tuesday.
A 28-year-old man is in custody. He is under an extended detention warrant under the Terrorism Act. This allows police to question him for up to another week.
“It is clear that this was a targeted attack,” said Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing. “We are still working to understand the extent of any planning or preparation, and the motivation behind the attack.”
The death of Widdecombe, 78, shocked the British political establishment. She was known for her outspoken conservative views. She opposed abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights.
Counterterror police took over the investigation on Monday after discovering new evidence. Devon and Cornwall Police faced criticism for initially saying the killing was not believed to be terror-related or politically motivated. Alison Hernandez, Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner, defended her agency. She stated that new information often changes the nature of investigations.
Police believe Widdecombe was attacked on Wednesday just after noon. She failed to arrive for a TV interview about an hour later. She was found dead the next day at her rural home in southwest England.
The cause of death has not been disclosed, but police said she sustained “serious injuries.” Taylor described it as a “brutal attack on a 78-year-old lady in her own home.”
The suspect was arrested Saturday in South Yorkshire county, 200 miles (320 kilometers) away from Haytor village, where Widdecombe died. Police conducted searches at his home and found evidence of planning. Details were not provided.
The man was initially arrested on suspicion of murder. Additional evidence led police to rearrest him for suspected involvement in acts of terrorism. The suspect has not been named, as he has not been charged.
Widdecombe served in the House of Commons from 1987 to 2010. Her roles included prisons minister in John Major’s Conservative government.
After leaving Parliament, Widdecombe became popular on reality TV shows like “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Celebrity Big Brother.” She later joined the Brexit Party, serving briefly as a European Parliament member before Britain’s EU exit in 2020. More recently, she joined Reform UK, opposing immigration and acting as a media spokesperson.
This killing has sparked renewed concerns about politicians’ security. Security has tightened in the past decade due to the murders of two serving MPs. Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered in 2016, and Conservative MP David Amess was killed in 2021.