Ann Widdecombe killed in targeted attack, suspect held under terrorism laws

Former MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe, 78, was found dead in her rural home at Haytor on the edge of Dartmoor, southwest England, after a brutal attack on 8 July. Police say she suffered serious injuries and was discovered the following morning.

A 28‑year‑old man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was arrested on suspicion of murder and, after further evidence emerged, rearrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of terrorist acts. He is being held under an extended detention warrant permitted by the Terrorism Act, allowing up to seven days of questioning.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter‑Terrorism Policing, said, “It is clear that this was a targeted attack,” adding that investigators are still working to determine any planning, preparation and the motive behind the assault. The case has revived concerns about the security of politicians in the UK, recalling the murders of MPs Jo Cox in 2016 and David Amess in 2021.