Updated ,first published
London: British police have launched a murder investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe, a former MP turned Reform UK spokeswoman.
The 78-year-old former Conservative lawmaker and prisons minister had “sustained serious injuries” when she was found on Thursday at her home in Haytor in south-west England, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, police said.
“Our murder enquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace,” Devon and Cornwall Police said in a statement on Friday (Saturday morning AEST).
“We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened and to locate the person responsible who we believe to be a white male.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged people to rise above political differences and focus on catching the killer.
“This is really shocking news, and my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this awful time,” Starmer said. “Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it’s a huge, huge loss.”
Widdecombe served in the House of Commons as an MP from 1987 to 2010, known for her socially conservative views opposing abortion rights and expansion of LGBTQ rights, and held several junior ministerial positions in former prime minister John Major’s government.
She found fame after leaving parliament as a contestant on the Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother reality TV shows. Widdecombe defected to Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party in 2019, and later joined its rebranded party Reform UK and became its immigration and justice spokeswoman.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the circumstances of Widdecombe’s death “are extremely distressing”.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson called her a “heroic Brexiteer and a great speaker who could move Tory audiences to such ecstasy that she was a very hard act to follow”.
The management company that represented her after she left politics said her life and career were driven by strong Christian values and a commitment to public service.
“She loved the cut and thrust of political debate and, 16 years after leaving Parliament, was still actively campaigning for Reform UK and offering forthright views on the hot topics of the day,” Cloud9 Management said.
“As Ann once said…‘we get one go this side of eternity, one go. Life is not a dress rehearsal, you take opportunities that you like, and you go for it, that’s my philosophy’.”
Police said a cordon remained in place at the property while specialist officers continue forensic examinations.
AP/Reuters
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