Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative politician and recent spokeswoman for Reform UK, has been found dead at her home on Dartmoor in Devon. She was 78. Police say she had serious injuries and have launched a murder investigation.

The investigation formally began on Friday. Police are looking for a white male suspect, but have released no other details about him.

Widdecombe had a long career in politics spanning four decades. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for areas in Kent and held a government job at the Home Office under Prime Minister John Major. She left Parliament in 2010. In recent years she returned to public life as a spokeswoman for Reform UK, the party led by Nigel Farage. Before that, she had switched from the Conservative Party to the Brexit Party in 2019. Her strong views on social issues — including her stance against assisted dying — and her appearance on the television dance competition Strictly Come Dancing made her well-known across the country.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer released a statement saying he was shocked by the news. So did Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative Party. Both kept their comments brief and personal, which is normal practice when police are investigating a death as a possible crime. Reform UK has not yet released an official statement.

Dartmoor is a wild, open moorland area with scattered settlements. The region covers a large rural area and has complicated police investigations in the past because of its isolated geography. Police have not said exactly where on Dartmoor she was found, when her body was discovered, or who found her.

At this early stage of the investigation, several important details remain unknown. Police have not said what caused her death, and they have not explained what evidence led them to appeal for information about the suspect. Once forensic tests and post-mortem examination results become public, we may learn more. Police will likely ask people in the Dartmoor area for help — for example, by asking if anyone saw anything unusual, or by asking for footage from security cameras or dashcams in vehicles.