Suspect in Widdecombe killing released, search continues
by Lisa Hornung · UPIJuly 11 (UPI) -- A man arrested in the attack and killing of British former Member of Parliament Ann Widdecombe has been released, and police announced she had been attacked a full day before she was found dead in her home.
"Our murder inquiry 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," Devon and Cornwall Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said.
He said Widdecombe, 78, had been attacked about 24 hours before she was found dead on Thursday. Someone became concerned when she didn't show up for a scheduled TV interview on Wednesday.
On Friday, Longman said police had arrested a white, British man, 26, on suspicion of the attack. On Saturday, they said he's no longer a suspect.
Widdecombe was a Conservative member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald. She joined the Brexit party in 2019 and served as a member of the European Parliament, representing South West England, between 2019 and 2020. She was also a member of Brexit's successor, Reform UK.
Former MP and leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage said he was "deeply, deeply upset" by the nature of her death, and that Britain was "a much, much poorer place without her," The Independent reported.
"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," Farage said.
Anton Du Beke, her partner on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, has said he was "devastated" to hear that Widdecombe had died. They had danced together on the show in 2010.
"She became a real friend," Du Beke said. "She was fun. She was upbeat. She was positive. She was supportive. We had an incredible time together and we stayed firm friends."