Police in the UK investigating the murder of former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe have said they “are not looking for anyone else” after a 28-year-old man was arrested.
The former Conservative minister, and later Reform UK spokesperson, was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor at about 11.40am on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries, reports RTE.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said a 28-year-old white British man was arrested on suspicion of murder in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, shortly after 9pm yesterday evening.
He told reporters this morning: “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,” reports RTE.
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He added that detectives “remain open-minded about the potential motive” and stressed it is not believed there is any threat to the wider public.
In a statement, police and crime commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Alison Hernandez, said it had been a “very unsettling time” for the local community, reports RTE.
“I hope people will feel reassured there has been major progress in the apprehension of a suspect,” she added.
Ms Widdecombe, who was 78, was first elected a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, went on to serve as an MEP for the Brexit Party and then as a spokeswoman for Reform UK, reports RTE.
She also found fame outside politics after starring in Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
She appeared on TalkTV on Wednesday morning, the day before she was found dead, and was also due to be a guest on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show on Wednesday afternoon but did not appear, as first reported by ITV, reports RTE.
Ms Widdecombe had exchanged messages with a researcher from the show but did not respond when they tried to contact her to join a Zoom call from home.
Calls and texts sent after the programme aired remained unanswered, ITV said, and the team on the Channel 5 show followed up with her agent later on Wednesday and on Thursday, reports RTE.
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