Counterterrorism police in the UK have assumed leadership of the investigation into the murder of former British government minister Ann Widdecombe, Home Secretary Sabrina Mahmood announced today. The 78-year-old Widdecombe was found dead at her home in a rural area of southwest England. UK police stated the victim sustained “serious injuries.”
Suspect Released, Investigation Shifts Focus
On Saturday, 11 July 2026, police arrested a 26-year-old white British man in Rotherham, northwest England, as a suspect in the killing. However, he was released the following day and is no longer part of the active investigation, according to authorities.
“Following new information and evidence, counterterrorism policing is now leading the investigation into the horrific murder of Ann Widdecombe,” Mahmood wrote in a post on X. “Police are conducting multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motive behind this attack,” she added, noting she would update MPs later in the day.
No Evidence of Political or Terrorist Motive — For Now
The Devon and Cornwall Police, which initially led the probe, said on Sunday there was no evidence suggesting the killing was politically motivated or linked to terrorism.
Widdecombe served as a Member of Parliament between 1987 and 2010 and held the position of junior minister in John Major’s government. In the last decade, she joined Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, with which she was elected to the European Parliament for the 2019–2020 term. After the party rebranded as Reform UK, Widdecombe became its spokesperson on immigration issues.