No evidence of political motive in murder of former UK minister Widdecombe, police say

HAYTOR, England: There is no evidence that the suspected murder of former British ​government minister Ann Widdecombe was politically motivated, police said ‌on Sunday, adding that they were not seeking anyone else after arresting a 28-year-old man.

Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in rural ​southwest England on Thursday with what police described as “serious injuries”. ​Officers arrested a white British man in Rotherham, northern ⁠England, late on Saturday.

Police urged the public not to speculate about ​possible motives while the investigation remains ongoing.

“At this point, there is ​still no information to suggest that this is a terrorism-related incident, and at this point, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with ​this murder,” Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant
Chief Constable Matt Longman ​told reporters.

“Detectives remain open-minded about the potential motive. At this stage, there is ‌nothing ⁠to suggest that it was politically motivated.”
Another suspect arrested on Friday was released the next day without charge.

A social conservative, Widdecombe served as a junior minister in John Major’s Conservative government in the 1990s. She ​stepped down as ​a lawmaker in ⁠2010 but later joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK as its immigration and justice spokesperson.

Two serving British ​members of parliament have been murdered in the ​last decade.

UK police release man arrested on suspicion of killing former minister Widdecombe

Labour ⁠lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed by a Nazi-obsessed attacker during the Brexit campaign in 2016. Conservative lawmaker David Amess was ⁠stabbed ​to death in 2021 by a man ​inspired by the militant group Islamic State.