Ann Widdecombe was killed in ‘targeted attack’, police say – what we know

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleVeteran politician Ann Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Haytor, Dartmoor, last Thursday, with counter-terrorism police now leading the investigation into what they describe as a "targeted attack". Assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor confirmed that the murder and terror investigations are running "in parallel" and that there was some preparation and planning involved in the attack, though the motivation remains unclear. A 28-year-old white British man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and commission, preparation, or instigation of acts of terrorism, and has been granted a warrant for further detention for up to seven days. Police believe Miss Widdecombe was attacked on Wednesday at approximately 12.30pm, shortly before she was due to appear on a Channel 5 show, with WhatsApp messages indicating she stopped responding around that time. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the suspect was not known to the Government's anti-extremism scheme Prevent, while Miss Widdecombe had a notable career as a Conservative MP, MEP for the Brexit Party, and spokeswoman for Reform UK, alongside her media appearances. In fullAnn Widdecombe murder latest: ‘Clear’ killing was targeted, counterterror police say, as suspect’s detention extendedMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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