Former Brexit MEP Widdecombe killed as UK police probe terror links
The killing of former Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe has triggered a counterterrorism investigation, renewing concerns across Europe about the security of political figures in an era of deep polarization.
Former British politician Ann Widdecombe was killed in a "targeted attack" at her home in southwest England, with counterterrorism police now leading the investigation after discovering evidence of planning.
A 28-year-old man arrested in northern England, more than 320 kilometres from the scene, is being held under the Terrorism Act. He was initially detained on suspicion of murder before being rearrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after officers searched his home.
"It is clear that this was a targeted attack," said Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing. He described it as a "brutal attack on a 78-year-old lady in her own home," adding that investigators are still working to determine the exact motivation and the extent of any preparation.
The shift to a terrorism investigation has sparked criticism of Devon and Cornwall Police, who initially stated the killing was not believed to be terror-related or politically motivated. Alison Hernandez, the local Police and Crime Commissioner, defended the force, noting that new information frequently alters the trajectory of fast-moving inquiries.
A prominent Brexiteer
For European audiences, Widdecombe was a highly recognizable figure during the Brexit era. She served as a member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party until Britain left the EU in 2020, later joining the anti-immigration Reform UK party. Prior to her role in the Brexit movement, she spent over two decades in the British House of Commons and served as a prisons minister under Prime Minister John Major.
Police believe she was attacked on a Wednesday just after noon at her isolated home in the village of Haytor. She failed to arrive for a scheduled television interview about an hour later and was discovered dead the following day. Officers have not disclosed a cause of death, stating only that she sustained serious injuries.
Her death has shocked the British political establishment and renewed urgent concerns about the security of elected officials. The murders of Labour lawmaker Jo Cox by a far-right extremist in 2016, and Conservative MP David Amess by an attacker inspired by the Islamic State group in 2021, already prompted a security overhaul for British politicians. This latest killing underscores that the threat to public figures remains severe, a reality that resonates across European democracies where political polarization has increasingly translated into physical danger.
