‘Ann Widdecombe was killed in a targeted attack’: Police
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Ann Widdecombe was killed in a targeted attack’: Police")
Ann Widdecombe (R) takes her seat in the main hall on the first day of the Reform UK party conference at the NEC Birmingham, central England, on September 5, 2025. Photograph: (AFP)
Counter-terrorism police state the killing of former Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe was a “targeted attack.” A 28-year-old suspect is being questioned under the Terrorism Act regarding potential motivations.
Former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe was killed in a "targeted attack", with detectives continuing to investigate the motive behind her death and whether it may be linked to terrorism, police have said.
Speaking at New Scotland Yard on Tuesday (July 14), Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said investigators were examining Widdecombe's appearance on Talk TV on the morning she was killed as part of their inquiries.
Taylor also declined to rule out the possibility that the suspect may have been targeting other Reform UK figures, saying detectives were keeping an open mind while the investigation progresses.
"It is clear that this was a targeted attack. We are still working to understand the extent of any planning or preparation, and the motivation that sits behind that attack," Taylor told reporters.
The body of Widdecombe, 78, was found at her home in Haytor, Devon, on Thursday, 9 July. Police believe she sustained fatal injuries during an attack that took place the previous day.
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A 28-year-old white British man was arrested in Rotherham on Saturday on suspicion of murder. On Monday, he was re-arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Police have obtained a warrant under the Terrorism Act allowing them to question the suspect for up to seven days.
Taylor said a counter-terrorism investigation was running alongside the murder inquiry but stressed that the case had "not been declared a terrorist incident at this stage".
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding Widdecombe's death, including any planning behind the attack and the suspect's possible motivations, while keeping all lines of inquiry open.
