Overview
- Police say Widdecombe was attacked around 12:30 on Wednesday and her body was found about 24 hours later at her Devon home.
- A 28-year-old man was arrested in Rotherham and has been accused of murder while an earlier 26-year-old detainee was released without charge.
- Media and roadside CCTV have been reported to show a man loading a large wooden bat into a car in Rotherham before the attack but police say those images remain subject to verification.
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told Parliament that Counter Terrorism Policing is now leading the inquiry after new information emerged and officials emphasise this does not by itself prove a terrorist or political motive.
- Widdecombe was a high‑profile former Conservative MP and Brexit figure which has heightened political attention and prompted fresh review of security for public figures, including stepped‑up protections for Reform UK officials.