Man arrested on suspicion of murder of prominent British ex-politician Ann Widdecombe

A 26-year-old man was arrested Friday on suspicion of murdering Ann Widdecombe, a 78-year-old former British Member of Parliament and television personality, police said. Widdecombe was found dead Thursday in her Haytor Vale home in southwest England after sustaining serious injuries. Police said the killing was not believed to be an act of terror and there was no information suggesting it was politically motivated.

Widdecombe served in Parliament from 1987 to 2010 as a socially conservative MP and later became known as a television pundit and reality show contestant. After leaving Parliament, she joined the Brexit Party and became a spokeswoman for Reform UK, an anti-immigration party. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called her "a distinguished politician" and said her death was "a huge, huge loss."