The investigation into the death of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe has taken a dramatic new turn after police confirmed that the man arrested on suspicion of her murder has been released and is no longer considered part of the inquiry.
Devon and Cornwall Police announced on Saturday that the 26-year-old man, who had been taken into custody on Friday, had been released as detectives continue their fast-moving investigation into the death of the 78-year-old former prisons minister.
Widdecombe was discovered dead inside her bungalow in Haytor on Dartmoor on Thursday after suffering what police described as serious injuries. Officers have launched a full murder investigation as they work to establish exactly what happened.
In a statement, the force said the investigation was “moving at a significant pace” and that officers were “deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened.”
Detectives are reviewing CCTV footage from Widdecombe’s property while a significant police presence remains in the area.
After serving as a Conservative MP and prisons minister, Widdecombe later represented the Brexit Party as an MEP before becoming Reform UK’s spokesperson for Immigration and Justice.
Investigators are continuing to piece together her final known movements before her death.
Widdecombe, who had lived alone since retiring from Parliament in 2010, was last publicly seen during a TalkTV interview at around 8am on Wednesday. She had also been scheduled to appear remotely on Jeremy Vine’s Channel 5 programme later that day but never joined the broadcast.
Channel 5 presenter Dan Walker revealed on X that Widdecombe unexpectedly stopped responding before the interview.
“The team contacted her agent to ask them to check in on her. This information has been passed to police as it’s part of the investigation,” Walker wrote.
According to ITV News, a researcher spoke with Widdecombe by phone earlier that afternoon to arrange the interview before exchanging text messages with her.
Her final known message was received at 12:19pm. When producers sent another message at 12:48pm asking her to join the Zoom call, there was no response.
Further phone calls and messages also went unanswered, prompting concern among the production team, who said such silence was completely out of character for the regular guest.
After failing to reach her through her agent on Wednesday and again on Thursday, concerns escalated.
Her family also became alarmed when they were unable to contact her. Police were called shortly before midday on Thursday after Widdecombe’s gardener discovered her body in the kitchen of her home.
A source close to the family described their devastation following the tragedy.
“We’re in total shock and disbelief. It was hard enough to find out we’d lost Ann – but we still have yet to come to terms with the fact that she died in such brutal circumstances. Perhaps we never will.”
The source added: “She was a little, frail old lady. What we find most difficult of all is that she must have been in abject terror for the last minutes of her life.”
Despite the fatal attack, Widdecombe had previously spoken openly about refusing to let threats intimidate her.
Reflecting last year on whether she feared being attacked because of her political views, she replied: “No.”
“I took a very robust attitude,” she said. “In my day, it was the IRA and I suppose I had a slightly faithless attitude.”
“I remember I used to get death threats from time to time. We all did, and my staff would say, ‘Shall we tell the police?'”
“I’d say, ‘Put it in the bin,’ because if the IRA are going to do it, they’re not going to tell you in advance, they’re just going to do it.”
She also reflected on the 2021 murder of fellow MP Sir David Amess, insisting politicians should never lose contact with the public.
“I know, and I said this to his widow, who agreed with me, that he would never want his death used as a reason to distance MPs from their constituents.”
“His belief, and it is still my belief, that an MP should be able to walk through the town on a Saturday afternoon, talk to their constituents. I feel very strongly about that.”
Tributes have continued to pour in from across the political spectrum.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the killing as “a terrible reflection on modern Britain.”
“Our nation is a much, much poorer place without her. Reform UK is certainly a much worse place without her. I was expecting to see her in Clacton over the course of the next few days. Sadly, that is not going to happen.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the news “really shocking.”
“This is really shocking news, and my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this awful time for them.”
“Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it’s a huge, huge loss.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch added: “I don’t understand how someone could do something so horrific to an elderly person. It was a nasty, horrific attack and my heart is breaking for her family.”
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged investigators to establish the facts quickly, writing: “Sadness at the death of Ann Widdecombe now turning to anger and bewilderment at the news that she seems to have been murdered. We need the facts as fast as we can.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the circumstances as “extremely distressing.”
Daily Mail columnist Andrew Pierce, a close friend of Widdecombe, revealed he had spoken to her only one day before her death.
“I had spoken to Widders myself only on Tuesday, seemingly the day before she died.”
“As always, she was fizzing with ideas and berating me – as she invariably did – for not have written in these pages about an issue relating to child maintenance payments, which she planned on championing at Reform’s party conference in September.”
“Her uncompromising, no-nonsense nature was why I loved her, and why I will miss all 5ft one-and-a-half inches of her (‘Don’t forget the half!’ she used to quip) more than I can say.”
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said investigators remain focused on identifying whoever was responsible.
“Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined.”
“I would appeal to anyone who may have information about this incident, however insignificant it may seem, to come forward and speak with us.”
“We will release further information when we are able to do so. In the meantime, I would ask people not to speculate about what might have happened, particularly on social media.”
“This is not only potentially harmful to our investigation but also deeply distressing for family and friends of Miss Widdecombe.”
