British counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation into the death of the former MP and Reform spokesperson Ann Widdecombe in a shock development that has renewed the debate over the security of politicians.
Widdecombe’s body was found with serious injuries by the ambulance service at her home in Haytor Vale, Devon, at 11.40am on Thursday. A 28-year-old man from Rotherham is being held in custody on suspicion of her murder.
In a dramatic change of position on Monday, counter-terrorism policing south-east (CTPSE) said it was now leading the investigation after officers at Devon and Cornwall police had earlier said a review of the case had ruled out a terrorist motive. The suspect was rearrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Over the weekend, Devon and Cornwall officers went to lengths to reassure the public that the alleged murder did not appear to be politically motivated. An intervention from the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, on Saturday prompted politicians from across the spectrum to urge greater restraint. However, the latest development triggered fresh debate about the safety of MPs, with the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, offering Farage a meeting with senior officials over his security.
The change in approach was prompted by “new information and evidence”, according to counter-terrorism policing.
The head of national counter-terrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, said: “Building on the progress made by our colleagues in Devon and Cornwall police, we now have new information and evidence that means counter-terrorism policing is now leading the investigation.
“We are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for this attack. Our priority is progressing this investigation quickly, with all the capabilities we have available to us. If anyone has any information, please share it with the police.”
On Monday afternoon, the home secretary said the suspect was not known to Prevent, the programme designed to intervene early to support people vulnerable to radicalisation.
“Following new information and evidence, they are now leading on the investigation into the horrific murder of Ann Widdecombe,” she said. “The police are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for this attack … My thoughts today remain with Ann’s family and friends, and all those who loved her.”
In an update to MPs in the House of Commons, Mahmood said she had spoken to the head of counter-terrorism policing about the case.
She said she would offer a meeting between Farage and the head of the independent Home Office body that manages the security of those in public life.
She said: “Security measures are kept under constant review to ensure MPs can carry out their duties safely, and I know that the police intend to issue guidance to MPs soon, and they will be contacting parliamentarians in their constituencies to offer support.”
Widdecombe, who appeared on TalkTV on Wednesday, lived in Haytor Vale, a village within the Dartmoor national park, in a 1970s bungalow named Widdecombe’s Rest. A plaque with the name of the property was positioned at the end of her drive.
She was a Conservative MP from 1987 to 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald. She became a member of the Brexit party in 2019 and served as an MEP, representing South West England, between 2019 and 2020. She was also a member of that party’s successor, Reform UK.
Later in life, she was just as well known for her media work, appearing on shows such as Celebrity Fit Club, Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
Devon and Cornwall police arrested a 26-year-old man from Newton Abbot, Devon, on Friday but later released him and said he was no longer connected to the investigation. The 28-year-old currently held in custody was arrested on Saturday in Rotherham, 265 miles from Widdecombe’s home.
Over the weekend, the assistant chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police, Matt Longman, told reporters: “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. At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that it was politically motivated.”
Jonathan Hall, the UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that he was surprised by police communications around the case.
“We know this after Southport, we know that police communications can improve. I mean they have on the whole improved ... It does go back to the point that, in the social media era, police have got to be really thoughtful. And, you know, I’m not going to give advice to the police. But I think it’s much better to be simply open minded and say to the public something that’s, you know, true, we don’t know what’s going on, rather than appearing to rule something out and then having to reverse their position when new facts emerge.”
Farage, who is campaigning for a byelection he triggered by resigning his own seat in Clacton, visited the area around Widdecombe’s home shortly after her death. On Saturday, he told journalists her death appeared to be “premeditated murder”.
He argued that the case demonstrated that for “people now in public life, especially in politics, the world is very much more dangerous than it’s ever been, whatever the outcome of the motives of the killer”.
The comments triggered a backlash from his parliamentary peers. One Labour minister said public statements “rarely help the police during an investigation”, while the former Conservative justice secretary, David Gauke, said people in public life “should know better than to speculate publicly”.
But following the latest developments, Richard Tice, the Reform deputy leader, posted a message on social media saying: “A lot of journalists MUST now APOLOGISE to Nigel and us at Reform. You know who you are. Counter terrorism police now leading investigation into Ann Widdecombe’s murder investigation.”
The Commons speaker’s office reacted angrily to comments by Zia Yusuf, the Reform home affairs spokesperson, who had suggested that neither the government, parliament nor police “care at all” about the security of Reform MPs.
Parliamentary sources suggested that Reform was trying to “weaponise” a previous complaint about its MPs getting harassed to get more attention before the Clacton byelection.
Lee Anderson, the Reform chief whip, is understood to have been called in for a meeting with the speaker, Lindsay Hoyle.
“It’s disappointing, because security is a massive priority for the speaker,” one said. “We’re always reviewing security and this sort of thing just causes general anxiety.”
Hoyle has previously said that MPs’ safety “keeps me awake at night” and last year set up a cross-party speakers’ conference on the issue that called for strengthened protections for MPs and election candidates.
