Former British Lawmaker Ann Widdecombe Killed in ‘Targeted Attack,’ Police Say

A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and then rearrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses following the 78-year-old’s death

NEED TO KNOW

• Counterterrorism police in the U.K. have said that former British lawmaker Ann Widdecombe was killed in a “targeted attack”
• A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and has since been rearrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses after police found further evidence
• Widdecombe, who served as a member of the House of Commons from 1987 to 2010 and was known for her socially conservative views, was found dead at her home on Thursday, July 9, at age 78

Former British lawmaker Ann Widdecombe was killed in a “targeted attack,” the U.K.’s head of National Counterterrorism Policing has said.

The TV personality and politician was found dead at her home in Haytor, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in Devon in the south of England, on Thursday, July 9, at age 78.

The following day, Devon and Cornwall Police shared in a statement that Widdecombe had sustained serious injuries and that a murder investigation was underway. Police arrested a 26-year-old man that same day but he was released without charge the day after.

A 28-year-old man was then arrested on Saturday, July 11, in the county of South Yorkshire in the north of England, more than 200 miles away from Widdecombe’s home, on suspicion of murder, per a police statement.

Evidence found while he was in custody led police to rearrest him on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, police said.

Counterterrorism police have since taken over the investigation, the statement confirmed, despite Devon and Cornwall Police saying previously that the killing wasn’t believed to be terror-related or politically motivated.

“It is clear that this was a targeted attack,” said Laurence Taylor, head of National Counterterrorism Policing, in a statement shared via a release on Tuesday, July 14.

“We are still working to understand the extent of any planning or preparation, and the motivation that sits behind it,” Taylor added.

The 28-year-old suspect remains in custody, and a warrant of further detention has been granted, meaning he can be held for questioning for up to seven days under the U.K.’s Terrorism Act, per the statement.

Police believe Widdecombe was attacked just after noon on July 8, the day before her body was found, the Associated Press reported.

The former Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) was scheduled to show up for a TV interview about an hour later, but failed to show, the news agency stated.

It’s believed she may have been killed moments after she stopped replying to WhatsApp messages from a producer on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show, ITV News reported. She’d been scheduled to appear remotely on the show that afternoon, per the outlet.

Widdecombe, known for her socially conservative views, including her opposition to abortion rights and the expansion of LGBTQ rights, made frequent appearances on TV and radio, particularly after leaving the House of Commons following the U.K. general election in 2010.

She gained further fame away from politics as a contestant on reality shows including Strictly Come Dancing , the U.K. version of Dancing with the Stars, and Celebrity Big Brother U.K.

Widdecombe returned to politics with the Reform UK party, then called the Brexit Party, in 2019, serving as a Member of the European Parliament until the U.K. left the European Union the following year.

In recent years, she was a spokeswoman for Reform UK. Its leader, Nigel Farage, said in a video statement that Widdecombe was “an extraordinary woman” and that he was “deeply, deeply upset by the nature of her death.”

“Our nation is a much, much poorer place without her,” he continued. “Reform UK is certainly a much worse place without her.”

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Lawmakers from across the political spectrum — including U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch — also paid tribute to the former MP.

Andy Burnham, expected to become the U.K.’s next prime minister after Starmer announced his resignation last month, also spoke out, describing her death as “appalling” and arguing that a serious review of MPs’ security would be needed, per the BBC.

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