MAN RELEASED IN ANN WIDDECOMBE MURDER INQUIRY

A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering former MP Ann Widdecombe has been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation, Devon and Cornwall Police said on Saturday. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman stated that detectives continue to carry out numerous inquiries as part of the ongoing investigation. The force confirmed the investigation was moving at a significant pace and remained committed to identifying those responsible. Police previously stated there were no indications the death was politically motivated and confirmed the incident was not being treated as terror-related.

Widdecombe's body was discovered with serious injuries at her home in Haytor, Devon at 11.40am on Thursday. She was a Conservative MP for Maidstone from 1987 to 2010 and later became a member of the Brexit Party in 2019, serving as an MEP for South West England until 2020. She subsequently joined Reform UK, the successor organisation to the Brexit Party. The 26-year-old suspect had been arrested at an address in Newton Abbot, less than 10 miles from Widdecombe's home.

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, released a statement following the news. Farage said Widdecombe's death represented a deterioration in safety for those in public life and politics. He described her as a remarkable and principled woman and expressed concern that circumstances for politicians in Britain had become increasingly dangerous. The investigation into her death remains ongoing.