A murder investigation is under way after former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, on Thursday. Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that a 26-year-old man has been arrested in Newton Abbot on suspicion of her murder.

Police were called by the ambulance service at approximately 11:40am to a property where Ms Widdecombe was discovered with what officers described as serious injuries. Her next of kin have been informed.

Authorities said there is no information to suggest the killing was politically motivated or terror-related. Detective Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson appealed for witnesses and urged the public not to speculate, describing the death as a tragic incident. Investigators are particularly keen to obtain CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage from the Haytor area.

Northern Ireland political figures who knew Ms Widdecombe expressed shock at her death. TUV leader and North Antrim MP Jim Allister described her as a remarkable woman and called the crime shocking. DUP leader Gavin Robinson said she possessed rare strength of character and was never afraid to stand by her convictions. East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson, who served alongside her in the Commons, remembered her as a passionate and colourful parliamentarian who shared many of his socially conservative views.

Ms Widdecombe, a devout Catholic, had taken a keen interest in Northern Ireland’s constitutional position in recent years. In April 2024, she addressed a packed Orange Hall in Dromore at an anti-Protocol rally alongside Mr Allister. Her speech, delivered as a Roman Catholic in an Orange hall, was met with a standing ovation. Baroness Kate Hoey, who campaigned with her against the Windsor Framework, said she was an outspoken and principled politician of a kind rarely seen today.

During her Commons career, Ms Widdecombe spoke in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, telling MPs in 1999 that the force had been the thin green line between order and chaos and noting that 302 officers had been murdered. She later served as a Brexit Party MEP and Reform UK spokeswoman.

The investigation is being led by the force’s Major Crime Investigation Team. A police cordon remains in place while forensic examinations continue and officers conduct door-to-door enquiries. A major incident public portal has been established for the submission of information. Police ask anyone with relevant footage or information to come forward, quoting Operation Hunlen.