LONDON — A former British member of Parliament was found dead with serious injuries at her home in Thursday, prompting a murder investigation that has reignited concerns about the safety of the country’s politicians.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Ann Widdecombe, 78, was one of Britain’s most recognizable politicians, serving as a Conservative lawmaker for two decades before reinventing herself as a television personality.
Known for her strong socially conservative views on abortion and LGBTQ rights, she more recently served as justice spokesperson for the hard-right Reform UK party.Police said on Friday there is no indication that the killing was politically motivated, but her death has renewed unease about the safety of Britain’s politicians, after two others were killed in the last decade.On Saturday, police said a 26-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder had been released and was no longer part of the investigation.A large police presence remained outside Widdecombe’s home on Saturday as investigations continued.“Our murder enquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace.
We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened,” Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman of Devon and Cornwall Police said.Flowers are seen outside the house of Ann Widdecombe in Haytor on July 11 in Dartmoor, England.Finnbarr Webster / Getty ImagesOutgoing prime minister Keir Starmer said it was “shocking news,” while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “stunned” and “really struggled to find the words”.Britain’s interior minister Shabana Mahmood said the circumstances of Widdecombe’s death were “extremely distressing,” and urged the public “to avoid speculation and allow the police investigation to progress.”But Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, said he feared that “for anybody in public life, or especiall...