LONDON — British police announced Saturday that a 26-year-old man who had been taken into custody on suspicion of murdering former government minister Ann Widdecombe has been freed and is no longer considered part of the investigation.
Devon and Cornwall police released a statement from Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman, who said authorities remain committed to finding those responsible. “Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined,” Longman said.
He added that while the investigation is still in its early phases, it is progressing rapidly. “Our murder enquiry 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,” he said.
The case began Thursday when ambulance workers responded to Widdecombe’s home in rural southwest England and alerted police after discovering her dead with serious injuries.
Widdecombe was 78 years old and well known for her socially conservative political positions. She served as a junior minister under Conservative Prime Minister John Major during his 1992 to 1997 government, and more recently held a role as an immigration and justice spokesperson for Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK party.
News of her passing broke on Friday and prompted tributes from politicians across the political spectrum in Britain, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
