Mon 13 Jul 2026 at 10:08pmMon 13 Jul 2026 at 10:08pmAnn Widdecombe, a former minister, was found dead at her home having sustained serious injuries. (Reuters: John Sibley)In short:British counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation into the suspected murder of former British government minister Ann Widdecombe following new evidence.Police are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for the attack, said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.Ms Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in rural south-west England on Thursday.Counter-terrorism police officers are now leading the investigation into the suspected murder of former British government minister Ann Widdecombe.The counter-terrorism unit has taken charge of the case due to "new information and evidence" on Ms Widdecombe's "horrific murder", British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said."The police are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack. I will be updating the House further this afternoon," Ms Mahmood wrote in a post on X."My thoughts today remain with Ann's family and friends, and all those who loved her."Ms Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in rural south-west England on Thursday with what police described as "serious injuries".She was a Conservative member of parliament between 1987 and 2010, and held several junior ministerial positions in former prime minister John Major's government.Later Ms Widdecombe joined Nigel Farage's Brexit Party and served as a member of the European Parliament between 2019 and 2020.Her most recent post was as immigration spokesperson for Reform UK, the rebranded Brexit Party, which leads in most opinion polls.Officers arrested a 28-year-old white British man in relation to Ms Widdecombe's alleged murder in Rotherham, northern England, late on Saturday local time.ABC/Reuters