Updated on: July 11, 2026 / 1:58 AM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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A murder investigation was launched Friday into the death of Ann Widdecombe, a former member of Parliament who was found dead in her home in southwest England, police said. A man was arrested Friday afternoon but has since been released, and police say he is no longer being investigated. The 78-year-old former Conservative lawmaker and prisons minister had "sustained serious injuries" when she was found on Thursday in Haytor, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, according to a statement from Devon and Cornwall Police.Police said earlier they were seeking a White male suspect, who U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as "clearly dangerous," according to CBS News partner BBC News. The BBC reported the man, 26, was arrested on Friday afternoon. The suspect was described by police as a British national. Police said it is too early to say if the suspect knew Widdecombe. On Saturday morning, he was released and police said he is no longer part of the investigation.When asked if there was evidence that Widdecombe's death was politically motivated, Starmer said he would not speculate about the case, according to the BBC. Starmer, who recently resigned as prime minister and is holding the position until an election is held, said that Britons should "rise above any political differences," and said he had spoken to top officials "to urge everybody to come together."
