C CJul 10, 2026 08:15 PM (This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2026 12:42 AM by C C.)
Apparently she had some presence in the entertainment industry, too. Controversial journalist Dan Wootton, a friend, is greatly distraught about it on YouTube.
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INTRO: British police announced Friday that they arrested a man in the slaying of former Member of Parliament Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead in her home Thursday.
Devon and Cornwall Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said at a press briefing a 26-year-old man was arrested on Friday afternoon at a home in Newton Abbot, England, on suspicion of the murder of Widdecombe, 78, who was killed in Dartmoor, Devon. The two areas are about 15 miles apart. The suspect is a British national, police said, and the slaying was not believed to be an act of terrorism.
Longman said there isn't evidence that the killing was politically motivated, though it is early in the investigation. "Too early for me to comment further on that at this time," Longman said.
Widdecombe was a Conservative member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald. She joined the Brexit party in 2019 and served as a member of the European Parliament, representing South West England, between 2019 and 2020. She was also a member of Brexit's successor, Reform UK.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it's important to "rise above any political differences" and focus on justice... (MORE - details)
C CJul 11, 2026 04:43 PM (This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2026 09:53 PM by C C.)
The 26-year-old "person of interest" has been released. So all bets are off again. Not that they really knew it was not ideologically motivated even when they believed they had the killer.
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EXCERPTS: She was interviewed on TalkTV at 8am on Wednesday and was due to appear on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show at 1pm. [...] Ms Widdecombe replied to a text from a producer at 12.19pm but failed to join a Zoom link sent to her at 12.48pm, sources said.
It is understood studio staff made several unsuccessful attempts to contact her, then tried again that night and the following morning. Copies of the final WhatsApp exchanges were released by ITV News [...] They show the last message sent by Ms Widdecombe at 12.19pm said: “Received! Panic over!!”
At 12.55pm, the producer messaged: “Hi Ann is everything ok?”
Her body was found around 11.30am on Thursday, when a carer or domestic assistant went to her bungalow in Haytor, Devon.
[...] Nigel Farage said a car had parked on the late politician’s driveway just five minutes before police theorise she was murdered at her isolated Devon home on Wednesday.
I expect that it probably was politically motivated, just from context. She was a prominent member of the Reform Party, which is the object of much hatred (like similar populist parties receive all over Europe).
stryderJul 11, 2026 08:39 PM (This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2026 08:48 PM by stryder.)
(Jul 11, 2026 05:48 PM)Yazata Wrote: I expect that it probably was politically motivated, just from context. She was a prominent member of the Reform Party, which is the object of much hatred (like similar populist parties receive all over Europe).
While Reform is despised, it doesn't mean that anyone would kill Widdecombe. She'd been in politics for years, even as a Conservative. (She was even an MEP for UKIP (Brexit party but I doubt she did much as most just sat around twiddling their thumbs tanking any European relations to push Brexit through.)
Can't even suggest it was an escapee from Dartmoor, since they shut it down.
Obviously it would of been targetted because of how remote she was but it could of been robbery gone wrong or attempted kidnapping. (Unless something more nefarious was in her history but I can't comment on that since I wouldn't know)
There is the WIKI entry that suggests her views on LGBT which would of likely upset some people. It doesn't necessarily mean that one of the Rainbow brigade is responsible, in fact it could be an activist from the opposite camp that wanted to push the LGBT buttons (Triggering) like they have in the US.
[...] HEAVER: And I'm not going to give these scumbags the reaction they want. What sad little lives they lead that they want to say outrageous things on the internet for a bit of attention. I mean, it's very, very sad. We saw it after the death of Charlie Kirk. We've seen, sadly, some of this again.
[...] FARAGE: . . . She was the fiercest proponent of free speech I think I've ever met. She believed that we had the freedom and the right to say things that insulted each other. Her career in politics, of course, spanned decades as a minister and then for many years as a shadow minister. And I spoke to one of her colleagues last night who said during those years in a shadow cabinet, she was the only one who always, always, always spoke up for what she believed to be the national interest.
[...] And then suddenly in 2019, as it appeared that the Brexit vote wasn't actually going to be carried out by the government or parliament, I took a phone call one day. ... Her joining what was a completely brand new party directly contributed to us winning by a country mile six weeks later [...] She played a very major role in getting Brexit over the line. Although having said that, she was pretty unhappy with the Brexit deal. It wasn't the one that she actually wanted.
As a colleague she was phenomenal. Her work rate was unbelievable. She'd turn up anywhere in the country to speak, and of course, unlike modern politicians, she didn't need notes. She stood astride the stage knowing exactly what she had to say. Her convictions were fierce. She never sought popularity for the sake of it. She just stood up and fought for what she believed in.
She was a great colleague loved by all of us that worked with her. Even if at times she would tell me I was wrong in terms of what I was doing in no uncertain terms.
And I've come here today to lay this wreath and to start this memorial not just on my own behalf, not just on behalf of the Reform Party, but on behalf of many, many millions around this country who admired her, loved her, thought she was a remarkable human being who made a massive contribution to public life in Britain over very, very many decades....
HEAVER: . . . And I just wanted to leave you what I think is a pretty moving clip. Here is Ann Widdecombe speaking. What an incredible lady.
HOST: "But what do you think about your mortality? Do you think about what's coming next..."
C CJul 12, 2026 02:45 PM (This post was last modified: Jul 12, 2026 02:56 PM by C C.)
Spiked! is echoing what Farage said about her old school improvisation, not reading a speech and possibly not overtly preparing for anything in advance as a safety net...
RIP Ann Widdecombe: As Rory Sutherland has noted, Widdecombe also belonged to a fast-fading line of parliamentarians – from Tony Benn to Norman Tebbit to Dennis Skinner – who were bombastic, formidable and utterly sincere; motored by duty, principle and unflappable conviction. People who would not dream of meekly reading a speech from their phone, or dispensing lines to take in the media.
When they pass on, we lose more than just another public figure, who we may have loved or hated, agreed or disagreed with – we are losing a quality of politician which today’s culture seems all but incapable of replicating. Like a Second World War regiment whose ranks grow thinner with each Remembrance Sunday.
What kind of idiotic burglar brutally kills a famous public figure that, consequently, is going to have law enforcement pursuing him double time? And the coincidence of the murderous encounter being just minutes before she's scheduled to appear on a television interview via Zoom platform?
On Saturday evening, police said they had arrested a 28-year-old man in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on suspicion of her murder. During a press conference on Sunday, Devon and Cornwall Police said there is "nothing to suggest it was politically motivated" but urged anyone with information to come forward.
[...] They say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and that Widdecombe's family has been informed...
[...] "The suspect, who is a white British national, is now in police custody," the statement from Devon and Cornwall police said.
On Sunday, Longman said officers remained "open-minded" about a potential motive and that there was not thought to be any threat to the wider public.
EXCERPTS: The death of Ann Widdecombe is being treated as terrorism, police have confirmed. Counter-terrorism police took over the investigation into the 78-year-old's death after "new information and evidence" came to light, Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTP) said. [...] Devon and Cornwall Police previously said there was no suggestion "at this stage" that the alleged murder was politically motivated.
However, Reform sources questioned at the time whether the suspect may have been motivated by Miss Widdecombe's politics. One said: "It is clear to everybody that we are being gaslit by the police." [...] Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, said: "A lot of journalists must now apologise to Nigel and us at Reform. You know who you are."
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However, there are still mainstream sources playing the line that it's not political or terror-related (C-T taking over is just for show or to satisfy procedure.) That looks like two-tier gaslighting to some because there is seldom hesitation on the part of the establishment in proposing and advocating such motivation when the culprit or culprits might be populist.
Again, double standards are what are applicable below (not her freedom to say whatever). Will the Scottish thought police go after her the way they do other social media posters, even when they were generalizing and didn't express an opinion about a particular individual or didn't wish horrible things happened to them?
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INTRO: A University worker said she hoped Ann Widdecombe had ‘screamed in agony’ has said she won’t delete the post after it became clear the ex-Reform spokeswoman was killed. Aberdeen University has sought to distance itself from Heather Herbert, a web developer at the Scottish university, who reacted to news reports of the politician’s death on her Bluesky account.
She wrote: ‘Some good news for once. I hope it was an extremely painful death. ‘I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony.’
The posts, which have not been deleted, were made before police announced they were treating Miss Widdecombe’s death as murder. Herbert told Metro she had received many death threats since the post went viral but wouldn’t be deleting it.
She said: ‘I’m not a hypocrite, the manner of her death does change how I feel about her. Obviously I don’t want to see anyone murdered but I’m not sad she’s dead. Uni of Aberdeen – what’s it’s got to do with them? If you go out and get drink on a Friday night and break a glass, is it the Metro’s fault?’
EXCERPTS: The death of Ann Widdecombe is being treated as terrorism, police have confirmed. Counter-terrorism police took over the investigation into the 78-year-old's death after "new information and evidence" came to light, Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTP) said. [...]
Like I suggested up above, it appears to have been a political assassination.
Quote:Devon and Cornwall Police previously said there was no suggestion "at this stage" that the alleged murder was politically motivated.
However, Reform sources questioned at the time whether the suspect may have been motivated by Miss Widdecombe's politics. One said: "It is clear to everybody that we are being gaslit by the police." [...]
There are fairly subtle issues of language interpretation...
"There is no suggestion at this stage" needn't mean that the police can exclude a political motive, simply that they were still seeking a suspect and didn't know his/her motivation. But whenever it suits them, the establishment media will try to interpret the police saying that as them affirmatively saying that there wasn't a political motive. That seems to me to be how much of the British "quality" press chose to interpret it this time. And I'd guess that's often how the woke administrative levels of the police want their statements interpreted.
Another typical tell: If the police arrest someone but fail to specify the suspect's race or nationality, we can be justified in hypothesizing that it wasn't white or British. That's because if the police arrest a white British suspect, they will announce it in their initial press release, as they did here: the person arrested was described from the outset as an unnamed "white British national".
Perhaps I should add that I'm not trying to pick on the UK by saying that. Very similar things happen here in the US too. Industrial strength gaslighting occurs on both sides of the Atlantic.
Quote:Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, said: "A lot of journalists must now apologise to Nigel and us at Reform. You know who you are."
The preferred narrative seems to have been to interpret "there is no suggestion at this stage" that the murder was political as if it was evidence that it wasn't political. Then the next step was to make Nigel Farage the media target by accusing him of trying to politicize the murder by suggesting that it likely was a political hit. He supposedly was trying to exploit her death for his own evil ends. Never mind that the Counter-Terror police taking over the case suggests that he likely was right.
Quote:However, there are still mainstream sources playing the line that it's not political or terror-related (C-T taking over is just for show or to satisfy procedure.) That looks like two-tier gaslighting to some because there is seldom hesitation on the part of the establishment in proposing and advocating such motivation when the culprit or culprits might be populist.
Just imagine if it was a prominent socially-left Muslim immigrant-heritage Labour party politician that was bludgeoned to death in her home by assailants unknown. Speculation about political motives would be immediate and deafening. Everyone would be talking "racism" and "islamophobia" and trying to exploit the murder.
YazataJul 13, 2026 10:42 PM (This post was last modified: Jul 13, 2026 10:48 PM by Yazata.)
(Jul 13, 2026 05:31 PM)C C Wrote: INTRO: A University worker said she hoped Ann Widdecombe had ‘screamed in agony’ has said she won’t delete the post after it became clear the ex-Reform spokeswoman was killed. Aberdeen University has sought to distance itself from Heather Herbert, a web developer at the Scottish university, who reacted to news reports of the politician’s death on her Bluesky account.
She wrote: ‘Some good news for once. I hope it was an extremely painful death. ‘I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony.’
The "university worker" (a website developer, not a professor) is (predictably) M to F trans and a trans activist. His name is Scott Herbert and he goes by the name Heather Herbert.
"The University is aware of social media posts made by a member of staff regarding the death of Ann Widdecombe and is reviewing this as a matter of priority. The comments that have been shared are entirely the individual’s own and do not represent the views of the University of Aberdeen. Complaints into any member of staff are handled confidentially through our established processes."
EXCERPT: The brutal murder of Ann Widdecombe was last night being treated as a suspected politically motivated terrorist attack.
In a dramatic escalation, counter terrorism officers yesterday took over the investigation into the killing of the former Tory minister. It came after the discovery of Russian communist literature and other items of political ideology at the home of the suspected killer.
And it marked a U-turn after the local force, Devon and Cornwall Police, spent days insisting that there was no link to terrorism. Officers, it is understood, are probing whether the 78-year-old may have been bludgeoned to death in a premeditated attack on Reform UK.
They are looking at whether a self-radicalised loner may have considered the pensioner an ‘easy target’ in comparison to more prominent party figures, such as Nigel Farage, who have security.
Last night, Reform accused Devon and Cornwall police of misleading the public in the initial stages of the investigation. Senior officers were under pressure to explain why they so publicly ruled out terror or a political motivation.
When the bloodied body of the former prisons minister was found on Thursday morning, officers initially focused on a theory that she had disturbed a burglar at her home in Haytor, Dartmoor, even though nothing had been taken from the £600,000 property...
Jul 10, 2026 08:15 PM
(This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2026 12:42 AM by C C.)
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