Police investigating the killing of former British MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe say there is nothing to suggest her murder was politically motivated, following the arrest of a second suspect over the weekend.
Devon and Cornwall Police arrested a 28-year-old white British man in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Saturday evening at approximately 21:00 BST. The arrest was carried out by officers from Counter Terrorism Police North East and South Yorkshire Police on behalf of Devon and Cornwall Police. The distance between the arrest location and Widdecombe's home in Haytor, Devon, was approximately 270 miles.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman told reporters Sunday that there is no information to suggest the attack was terrorism-related. He said officers remained "open-minded" about a potential motive and that there was not thought to be any threat to the wider public. Longman also said police are not looking for anyone else in connection with her death.
Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries. Police believe she had been attacked almost 24 hours before she was discovered.
An earlier arrest had already been made and later abandoned. On Friday evening, Devon and Cornwall Police arrested a 26-year-old white British man. He was released the following day, and the force said he was no longer part of the investigation.
Chief Constable James Vaughan said the force had "mounted an extraordinary response to a horrific murder of a very prominent public figure" and had shown "British policing at its very best." He described the investigation as moving at "lightning pace" over the past 48 hours and said: "I am really pleased that we have a suspect firmly in custody."
Devon and Cornwall Police said they had received more than 120 reports of information following a public appeal. Longman asked anyone who had not yet come forward to do so "as a priority." He also reiterated calls for the public not to speculate about a motive, saying it was "unhelpful" to the investigation and "distressing" to Widdecombe's relatives.
Widdecombe served as the Conservative MP for Maidstone for 23 years. She held ministerial roles in John Major's government between 1994 and 1997. After leaving the Commons in 2010, she appeared on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and was later a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother. She joined the Brexit Party in 2019 and served as a Member of the European Parliament for South West England from 2019 to 2020. Her management agency first released news of her death on Friday morning.
A heightened police presence will remain in the area over the coming weeks, Longman said.
