The British Police have arrested a 26-year-old man this Friday as the alleged perpetrator of the violent death in her home in Newton Abbot, in the southwest of England, of veteran and renowned conservative leader Ann Widdecombe.
Deputy Commissioner Matt Longman, of Devon and Cornwall Police, explained that Widdecombe, 78, had "serious injuries" when officers located her body shortly before noon on Thursday, and stressed that for the moment, the case is not being treated as a terrorist attack.
"The suspect, a white British man, remains in police custody while investigations continue," Longman said in a brief appearance before the media, in which he offered some additional details of the incident, as reported by the BBC.
The police commander stressed that it is still too early to determine if there are political motivations for this crime and that there are no indications to support that hypothesis. He also called on the public to provide any information that may be useful in clarifying what happened.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has shared a message on his social networks in which he laments the "enormous loss" that this death represents. "This news is truly shocking and my thoughts are with Anne Whittacombe's family and friends," he expressed.
"Anne was a prominent politician for many years, with numerous achievements, and her loss is immense," added Starmer, who made these statements before the suspect's arrest was publicly confirmed. "He is clearly dangerous, and I implore everyone who has information about him to cooperate with the Police in the investigation and to bring him into custody," he indicated.
Starmer has also contacted his successor as leader of the Labour Party and the British Government, Andy Burnham, as well as Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right party Reform UK, a party that Widdecombe joined in 2019, to ask for their cooperation at this time and their help with the police work.
Political reactions and tribute to Widdecombe's career
Farage, for his part, has shared a video on his social networks in which he dedicates an emotional tribute to Widdicombe, whom he has described as "an extraordinary woman" and "the best-known British politician since Margaret Thatcher," referring to the former prime minister between 1979 and 1990, the first woman to hold the office.
"She was an exceptional colleague (...) Anne never sought popularity. She firmly defended her convictions. She was a devout Christian and had strong socially conservative ideas. She may not have been popular in today's UK, but that's what Anne believed in," he highlighted.
"She was kind to everyone. Frankly, she was a person who dedicated her life to public service, to fighting for what she believed in. She herself would not have hurt anyone, and I am deeply dismayed," he stated in his message.
Farage has positively assessed that the Police have already proceeded with the arrest of a suspect and, although he insisted that he does not wish to speculate at this time, he wondered if there could have been political motivations behind the crime or if, on the contrary, "it was a robbery gone wrong."