A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in relation to the death of Ann Widdecombe.
The 78-year-old, who also served as prisons minister and later became an MEP for the Brexit Party, was found dead at an address in Haytor, near Newton Abbott, after officers were called at 11.40am on Thursday (July 9).
Devon and Cornwall Police said Ms Widdecombe had sustained serious injuries.
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Detective Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson said: "This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this difficult time.
"Our murder inquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace.
"We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened and to locate the person responsible who we believe to be a white male."
The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, described the circumstances as "extremely distressing" and urged the public not to speculate.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said news of the murder investigation surrounding Ms Widdecombe's death was "really shocking", while Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “stunned”.
I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ann Widdecombe. The circumstances of her death are extremely distressing and my thoughts are with Ann's family and loved ones.
Ann's dedication to public service was decades long, and she was a true servant of her constituents.
I…— Shabana Mahmood MP (@ShabanaMahmood) July 10, 2026
26-year-old man arrested in suspicion of the death of Ann Widdecombe
Devon and Cornwall Police held a press conference late on Friday (July 10).
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman revealed a 26-year-old white British man was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot on Friday.
The suspect is a British male. He is in police custody, and the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
There is also no information to say that it is a politically motivated crime.
Assistant Chief Constable Longman also told the press conference that Ms Widdecombe’s death was not being treated as a terrorist incident.
He said: “Detectives from the force major crime investigation team have launched a murder investigation, and are conducting extensive inquiries into the circumstances surrounding Ms Widdecombe’s death.
“While we work closely with our partners and consulted counter-terrorism policing as part of our initial inquiries, the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
“A cordon remains in place at the property, while specialist officers continue forensic examinations. There are road closures in place around the scene, and the public will see significant police activity in the area while detectives and other officers continue house-to-house and CCTV inquiries.
“This is an extremely tragic incident. Our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Miss Widdecombe in this very difficult time.”
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Major Incident Public Portal set up following Ann Widdecombe's death
Devon and Cornwall Police have set up a 'Major Incident Public Portal' following the death of Ms Widdecombe.
Anyone with information, images, or footage is urged to submit it to police via the portal.
The police can also be contacted by phone on 101 or through the website (a link to which can be found above), and quoting reference 50260179119 and Operation Hunlen.
Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website.
