Authorities are investigating possible murder in the death of Ann Widdecombe, police in southwest England announced on Friday, a few hours after news of the once-prominent politician being found dead emerged.
Police said the investigation was "in its early stages" but also "moving at a significant pace," saying nothing at first about a potential motive or backdrop.
Police said they were called to Widdecombe's address around midday on Thursday where she was found to have died after sustaining serious injuries.
Widdecombe, 78, was a former government minister and Conservative member of parliament from 1987 until 2010, who held ministerial positions in John Major's government in the 1990s.
A prominent supporter of Brexit, she became closely tied to Nigel Farage in later life, first joining the now-defunct Brexit Party and later moving to Farage's latest party, Reform UK. She was serving as the right-wing populist party's immigration and justice spokeswoman.
