Police in southwest England have launched a murder investigation after former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her home, making the case a shocking instance of a conservative politician murdered.
Widdecombe, 78, a former member of the European Parliament, outspoken Brexiteer and television personality, was discovered Thursday at her home in Devon with what police described as “serious injuries.”
The Devon and Cornwall Police said detectives are treating her death as murder.
Detective Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson said investigators believe the suspect is a white male and are working aggressively to identify and locate him.
“The force is deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened and to locate the person responsible,” Rosson said.
She urged anyone with information about the case to contact police.
Tributes poured in Friday for Widdecombe, who spent years serving as a Conservative member of Parliament before backing Reform UK beginning in 2023.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Widdecombe played a “decisive role in getting Brexit over the line” after running as a Brexit Party candidate in the 2019 European Parliament election.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch remembered Widdecombe as a “formidable politician.”
Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC’s “Today” program that Widdecombe “gave her opinions even if you didn’t necessarily look for them.”
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer also paid tribute.
“The Prime Minister was saddened to hear of the death of Ann Widdecombe. She was a distinctive figure in British politics for many years, and he pays tribute to the conviction and dedication with which she served her country.”
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