Former British MP and reality TV star Ann Widdecombe found dead; man arrested for murder

A 26-year-old man has been arrested connected suspicion of nan execution of Ann Widdecombe, a erstwhile British personnel of Parliament and reality TV contestant, constabulary said.

Widdecombe, 78, was recovered dormant Thursday successful her location connected nan separator of Dartmoor National Park successful southwest England. Authorities said she died of superior injuries, Reuters reported.

The sanction of nan fishy has not been released.

LABOUR MP PUTS CABINET 'ON NOTICE,' THREATENS TO TRIGGER LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE AGAINST STARMER BY MONDAY

Britain's European Parliament personnel Ann Widdecombe, right, of nan Brexit Party, speaks during a statement astatine nan European Parliament connected Jan. 14, 2020, successful Strasbourg, eastbound France. Widdecombe was recovered dormant successful her location this week and a 26-year-old man has been arrested, authorities said. (Jean-Francois Badias/AP)

"This is really shocking news, and my thoughts, I deliberation each of our thoughts, will beryllium pinch nan family and friends of Ann Widdecombe astatine this atrocious time," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. "Ann was a distinguished leader complete many, galore years pinch galore achievements, and it’s a huge, immense loss."

Investigators don't judge nan sidesplitting was politically motivated, Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said.

"Our execution enquiry is successful its early stages but moving astatine a important pace," ​Devon and Cornwall Police said successful a statement.

Starmer said nan information of lawmakers was "of nan utmost importance," and urged group to emergence supra governmental differences.

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER FACES POTENTIAL LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE FROM NEWLY-ELECTED ANDY BURNHAM

Former British personnel of Parliament Ann Widdecombe sounds a connection extracurricular nan Old Bailey successful London aft nan sentencing of Ali Harbi Ali successful narration to nan execution proceedings of nan precocious British lawmaker David Amess. (John Sibley/Reuters)

Widdecombe served successful Parliament, but recovered fame aft leaving agency arsenic a contestant connected nan Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother reality tv shows. She later joined nan Brexit Party and became a spokeswoman for nan anti-mass migration Reform UK party.

In a station connected X, erstwhile British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Widdecombe "a heroic Brexiteer and a awesome speaker who could move Tory audiences to specified ecstasy that she was a very difficult enactment to follow."

Cloud9 Management, which represented Widdecombe for much than a decade, said her life was driven by her "strong Christian values and committedness to nationalist service."

"He loved nan trim and thrust of governmental statement and, 16 years aft leaving Parliament, was still actively campaigning for Reform UK and offering forthright views connected nan basking topics of nan time crossed galore power and tv programmes (sic). Ann was a weighted patron of galore causes, peculiarly her animal charities," nan institution said successful a societal media post.

Brexit Party personnel and then-MEP Ann Widdecombe speaks during a Brexit Party news convention successful London connected Aug. 27, 2019. (Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In nan past decade, 2 serving British members of parliament person ​been murdered.

In nan midst of nan Brexit run of 2016, Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was changeable and stabbed by a Nazi-obsessed loner. Conservative lawmaker David Amess was fatally stabbed successful 2021 by a man inspired by nan ‌Islamic State panic group.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.