Police arrest 28-year-old suspect in murder of former minister Ann Widdecombe

South Yorkshire police have taken a 28-year-old white British man into custody on suspicion of murdering former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe. The arrest follows the discovery of Widdecombe with serious injuries at her home in Haytor, Devon, on Thursday morning, an attack police believe occurred roughly a day earlier.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the suspect was arrested with assistance from Counter-Terrorism Policing North East and South Yorkshire Police. They added that, at present, there is no indication the case is terrorism-related and that the investigation remains active, with no further details to be released.

Earlier this week, a 26-year-old man was detained in Newton Abbot on similar charges but was released on Saturday after police concluded he was no longer part of the inquiry.

A substantial police presence, including forensic teams, remained at Widdecombe’s Devon residence over the weekend. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Widdecombe’s longtime driver, Peter Horrall, placed flowers at the site.

Political figures across parties, including outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, expressed condolences. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman confirmed that counter-terrorism officers had initially been involved but that terrorism was ruled out after finding no evidence of a politically motivated motive. The force has not released suspect descriptions or CCTV footage at this stage.