▲ Former Minister of State for Prisons Ann Widdecombe
British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on July 13 (local time) that the counter-terrorism police unit will take over the investigation into the killing of a senior politician from the right-wing Reform UK party.
Ann Widdecombe, a former Minister of State for Prisons, was found dead at her home in Devon, southern England, on July 9.
Police are investigating the case, believing she was attacked and killed on July 8, the day before she was discovered.
On the night of July 11, police arrested a 28-year-old white British man from Rotherham, northern England, on suspicion of murder.
As of the morning of July 12, police had stated that they had found no evidence suggesting the crime was motivated by terrorism or political factors.
However, Secretary Mahmood wrote on X that day, "Following the emergence of new information and evidence, the investigation into the horrific killing of Widdecombe is now being led by counter-terrorism police," adding, "The police are investigating all lines of inquiry to determine the motive for this attack."
The Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) also issued a statement, saying, "Following the emergence of new information and evidence during the course of a dynamic and complex investigation, CTPSE is now leading the investigation."
The BBC reported that police are currently questioning the suspect on suspicion of the commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism.
Widdecombe was well-known for her socially and politically conservative views.
She converted to Catholicism in protest against the Church of England's decision to allow the ordination of women as priests and was a vocal opponent of abortion.
From 1987 to 2010, she served as a Member of Parliament for the center-right Conservative Party for the Maidstone constituency. During this time, she held positions as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment in the Department of Social Security and Minister of State for Prisons in the Home Office under the John Major government.
In 2019, she left the Conservative Party to join the Brexit Party, which opposed European integration, and served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2020 and as a spokesperson for Reform UK.
She was also known for her appearances on television programs such as Celebrity Fit Club and Strictly Come Dancing.
Immediately after the killing of Widdecombe, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage visited the area near the crime scene and told reporters on July 11 that it appeared to be a "premeditated murder."
In response, figures from the center-left governing Labour Party and the main opposition Conservative Party criticized his remarks, stating that speculative comments do not assist the investigation.
In the United Kingdom, Jo Cox, a Labour Party MP who supported remaining in the European Union, was shot and killed by a far-right extremist with Nazi sympathies ahead of the 2016 Brexit referendum.
Additionally, in 2021, a supporter of the Islamic State (IS) stabbed and killed senior Conservative MP David Amess at a constituency surgery.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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