Former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe, one of the most recognizable and unapologetically blunt figures in British politics, was found dead at her home in Devon on Thursday with what police called "serious injuries." She was 78 years old, and Devon and Cornwall Police are treating her death as a murder, as Trending Politics News reported.
Let that sink in for a second. A former member of Parliament, former European Parliament member, television personality, and one of the loudest voices behind Brexit was killed in her own home. Detective Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson said investigators believe the suspect is a white male and that the force is throwing everything it has at the case.
"The force is deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened and to locate the person responsible," Rosson said, urging anyone with information to contact police immediately.
Widdecombe was the kind of politician who did not care one bit if you liked what she had to say. She served as a Conservative MP for years before backing Reform UK starting in 2023. She ran as a Brexit Party candidate in the 2019 European Parliament election, and according to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, she played a "decisive role in getting Brexit over the line." Whether you were a fan of Brexit or not, the woman put her name on it and went to work. That takes a spine, which is something most politicians seem to have surgically removed upon taking office.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch called Widdecombe a "formidable politician," which is British understatement at its finest. Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith offered perhaps the most honest tribute when he told the BBC's "Today" program that Widdecombe "gave her opinions even if you didn't necessarily look for them." That is a polite way of saying she would tell you exactly what she thought whether you asked or not, which frankly is a quality more public servants could use.
Even Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who sits on the opposite end of the political spectrum, paid his respects. A spokesperson said, "The Prime Minister was saddened to hear of the death of Ann Widdecombe. She was a distinctive figure in British politics for many years, and he pays tribute to the conviction and dedication with which she served her country."
The fact that a 78 year old woman, retired from frontline politics, was murdered in her own home in rural Devon is deeply disturbing regardless of where you fall on the political map. The suspect is still at large as of this writing. If you have any information, Devon and Cornwall Police would very much like to hear from you. Hopefully they find whoever did this quickly, because this is the kind of thing that shakes a country to its core.
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