A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of former MP and government minister Ann Widdecombe.

Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the man, who is a white British national, was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot, Devon, on Friday and is in custody.

The body of the 78-year-old former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson was found by police with serious injuries at her home in Haytor, a rural village on Dartmoor in Devon, at about 11:40 BST on Thursday.

The Incident is not being treated as terrorism, after counter-terror policing was involved as part of “initial enquiries”.

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman told a news conference on Friday they currently have “no information to believe that that is a politically motivated crime” – and it was “too early” to comment on whether or not the suspect was known to Widdecombe.

He said the investigation was in the early stages and urged anyone with information to come forward.

Widdecombe’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

The prime minister and other political leaders said they were stunned by the development on Friday afternoon.

Sir Keir Starmer said it was “really shocking”, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “stunned to hear this awful news”.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was “deeply, deeply upset by the nature of her death”.

Widdecombe’s political career spanned decades. She served as MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years, and worked as a Home Office and employment minister in Sir John Major’s government between 1994 to 1997.

After leaving Parliament she embarked on a showbiz career, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.

A staunch supporter of the UK’s departure from the EU, she became an MEP for the Brexit Party, representing South West England in the European Parliament between 2019 and 2020.

In 2023, Widdecombe joined Farage’s Reform UK party, after it changed its name from the Brexit Party, and made a number of appearances as the party’s immigration and justice spokesperson.

Widdecombe’s body was found at her home, a detached house in a rural location surrounded by fields and a few houses. Police had been called to the scene by the ambulance service.

In an earlier statement, Det Ch Insp Ilona Rosson said: “This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this difficult time.”

A cordon remains In place at the property, with forensic investigations being carried out. Officers are going door-to-door in the area and carrying out CCTV enquiries.

“We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the vicinity of Haytor Vale, Haytor, or anyone with CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage which could assist with our investigation,” Rosson said.

A satellite image of the Haytor area on Dartmoor in Devon. A marker highlights the location of Widdecombe’s house on a road south of Haytor village. An inset aerial photograph shows the property in detail, including a detached house, garden and outdoor swimming pool

A statement released by Widdecombe’s agent announcing her death on Friday morning made no mention of the specific circumstances of her death.

In a follow-up statement later on Friday, Widdecombe’s management said: “We are absolutely devastated by this news following a very traumatic and upsetting 24 hours.”

“We fully support the police in their investigations and we reiterate the family’s desire not to be contacted at this difficult time.”

The investigation is being carried out by the Force Major Crime Investigation Team, which is a county level police unit and responsible for investigating the most serious crimes.

The uniformed police presence has been increased in the area to support the investigation and provide reassurance to residents.

Rosson asked the public not to speculate about the circumstances of Widdecombe’s death, especially on social media.

“This is not only potentially harmful to our investigation but also deeply distressing for family and friends of Ann Widdecombe,” she said.

Susan Coish, Widdecombe’s neighbour, told the BBC she is “devastated” to hear news of her death, saying she was a “character” and a “lovely lady”.

“I can’t see why anybody would want to hurt her… it hasn’t sunk in yet actually,” she said.

Anton Du Beke, who was her partner on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, said he was devastated by her death, which he called the “saddest of news”.

Sir Keir said it was “really shocking news”, adding that “my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this awful time for them”.

The prime minister said he had spoken to Badenoch, Farage, MP Andy Burnham, and House Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, adding it was important that this was a moment where “we rise above any political differences”.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ann Widdecombe”.

“The circumstances of her death are extremely distressing and my thoughts are with Ann’s family and loved ones.”

The prime minister and the home secretary said they had spoken to the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, and Mahmood added that her department was able to provide whatever assistance necessary.

Badenoch said she was “stunned to hear this awful news”.

“My heart is breaking for her family,” she said.

Speaking in a video posted to social media, Farage said: “Our nation is a much, much poorer place without her. Reform UK is certainly a much worse place without her. I was expecting to see her in Clacton over the course of the next few days. Sadly, that is not going to happen.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey posted on social media that he was “really shocked and distressed” at the news. He described Widdecombe as a “woman of deep faith who devoted her life to public service”. (BBC, excluding headline)

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