UK police suspects in investigation of former MP Ann Widdecombe | Crime Stories

It is believed that the former minister was beaten on Wednesday, a day before his body was to be identified.

A man who was arrested on suspicion of murdering a former British government minister Ann Widdecombe He has been released and is no longer part of the investigation, police said.

It comes as detectives revealed the murder took place a day before Widdecombe’s body was found at his home in rural south-west England on Thursday.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the 26-year-old British man was arrested in Newton Abbot, about 14.5 kilometers (nine miles) from the Widdecombe home, on Friday, before being released on Saturday.

Police now believe the 78-year-old was attacked on Wednesday at around 11:30 GMT, a day after paramedics were called to his home, where he was found dead from severe injuries.

Police said they found no evidence that the killing was “terrorist” or politically motivated.

They also said that the suspect is believed to be white and there is no great risk to the public.

Socially conservative thinking

Widdecombe was known for his conservative views on social issues, first as a senior minister in the government of Conservative Prime Minister John Major in 1992-1997 and finally as a spokesman for immigration. Nigel Farage, who is the leader of the far-right Reform UK.

He converted to Catholicism in part in opposition to the Church of England’s ordination of women as priests and opposed abortion and legalization of same-sex relationships.

He also defended the law imprisoning pregnant prisoners during childbirth to prevent them from escaping and saw single women as role models, but it was rare among Conservative lawmakers to oppose coyote hunting and gangs.

News of her death prompted tributes on Friday from UK politicians, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Farage, who described her as a “wonderful woman”.

“He stood up and fought for what he believed in – a devout Christian and a man of strong, unselfish opinions,” Farage said in a video posted on his X account.

Two members of the British Parliament have been assassinated in the past decade.

Labor lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed by a Nazi sympathizer during the Brexit campaign in 2016.

Conservative lawmaker David Amess was killed in 2021 by a man inspired by The ISIL group (ISIS)..