UK counterterrorism police probe Widdecombe murder, arrest 28-year-old

British counterterrorism police took over the murder investigation of former minister Ann Widdecombe, rearresting a 28-year-old man on suspicion of terrorism offenses after new evidence emerged.

British counterterrorism police took over the murder investigation of former minister Ann Widdecombe on Monday, rearresting a 28-year-old man on suspicion of terrorism offenses after new evidence emerged.

"The circumstances of her death are extremely distressing," Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told Parliament on Monday, adding that police were pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for the attack.

Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries. Police said she was attacked at about 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, shortly after conducting a television interview. The suspect, a white British man from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, about 260 miles from Widdecombe's home, was initially arrested on suspicion of murder Saturday before being rearrested on terrorism charges. CCTV footage published by The Sun appeared to show the suspect leaving his home with a wooden truncheon in his pocket.

The killing has reignited concerns about the safety of elected officials in the UK, where two sitting lawmakers have been murdered in the past decade. Labour's Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, and Conservative David Amess was stabbed to death in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the Islamic State group.

Widdecombe served as a Conservative lawmaker from 1987 to 2010, holding roles including prisons minister under Prime Minister John Major. After leaving Parliament, she became a prominent campaigner for Brexit, joining the Brexit Party and serving as a member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2020. In 2023, she joined the anti-immigration Reform UK party as its spokeswoman on justice and immigration.

Police initially arrested a 26-year-old man on Friday near the scene, but released him Saturday after determining he was no longer part of the investigation. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said detectives were working "at a significant pace" and urged the public not to speculate on social media.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said staff had searched party emails for patterns of abuse directed at Widdecombe but found nothing. "We can't identify, from our data, any individual who appeared to be targeting her," he said after leaving a wreath outside her home.

A History of Political Violence

The last time a UK politician was killed in a suspected politically motivated attack was October 2021, when Conservative MP David Amess was stabbed 17 times at a constituency surgery in Essex. The attacker, inspired by Islamic State, was sentenced to life in prison. Before that, the murder of Jo Cox in June 2016 — just weeks before the Brexit referendum — prompted a national reckoning over political discourse in Britain. Both cases led to enhanced security measures for lawmakers, though Mahmood said Monday she would review what additional guidance could be offered to former MPs.

Political leaders across the spectrum expressed shock at the killing. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it "really shocking news," while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she "really struggled to find the words to say." Widdecombe was due to appear on a Channel 5 program Wednesday afternoon but did not join the scheduled Zoom call, prompting concerns that led to the discovery of her body the following day.

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