No evidence of political motive in former U.K. minister’s murder: Police

Ann Widdecombe, Brexit Party member, is interviewed after Nigel Farage, Leader of Britain's Brexit Party, spoke on stage at the launch of their policies for the General Election campaign, in London, Nov. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

HAYTOR, England, July 12 - There is no evidence that the suspected murder of former British government minister Ann Widdecombe was politically motivated, police said on Sunday, adding that they were not seeking anyone else after arresting a 28-year-old man.

Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in rural southwest England on Thursday with what police described as “serious injuries.” Officers arrested a white British man in Rotherham, northern England, late on Saturday.

Police urged the public not to speculate about possible motives while the investigation remains ongoing.

“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,” Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman told reporters.

“Detectives remain open-minded about the potential motive. At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that it was politically motivated.”

A second suspect arrested on Saturday was later released without charge.

A social conservative, Widdecombe served as a junior minister in John Major’s Conservative government in the 1990s. She stepped down as a lawmaker in 2010 but later joined Nigel

Farage’s Reform UK as its immigration and justice spokesperson. Two serving British members of parliament have been murdered in the last decade.

Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed by a Nazi-obsessed attacker during the Brexit campaign in 2016.

Conservative lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death in 2021 by a man inspired by the militant group Islamic State.

(Reporting by Jack Taylor in Haytor, southern England and Alistair Smout in London. Editing by David Goodman and Mark Potter)