A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her home on Dartmoor. She was 78. Widdecombe was a former Conservative MP who more recently worked as a spokeswoman for Reform UK.

Police found her on Thursday morning and described the circumstances as suspicious — meaning they are treating her death as a possible crime and have launched a murder investigation.

When someone important or well-known dies suddenly, police routinely check whether it might be a terrorist attack. Officers did this here but confirmed it is not terrorism-related. This actually helps narrow down what detectives need to investigate.

Detectives say the case is moving quickly, with specialist officers involved. Police have not said who the arrested man is, whether he knew Widdecombe, or where he was arrested.

Widdecombe was a Member of Parliament from 1987 until 2010, first for Maidstone and later for Maidstone and The Weald. She was Prisons Minister in the 1990s and was known in Parliament as someone with strong views on social issues. After she left Parliament, her career took surprising turns: she danced on Strictly Come Dancing, briefly joined the Brexit Party, and most recently became a spokeswoman for Reform UK. Her journey from mainstream Conservative politician to working for a newer political party meant her death had an impact far beyond local Devon news.

Politicians and her old colleagues have so far said very little — which is normal at this early stage of a murder investigation, when police need to focus on finding evidence rather than dealing with public statements. Things may change once police decide whether to bring charges.

Right now, here is what we know for certain: police have confirmed an arrest, confirmed a murder investigation, and confirmed the death looks suspicious. They have not said what caused her death, what the motive might be, or whether the arrested man had anything to do with Widdecombe.

The next important moment will come when prosecutors decide if there is enough evidence to charge the man. After that, we may hear more from Reform UK and the Conservative Party.

A quick note for readers in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland: this investigation is handled by English police working under English law. It does not affect the justice systems in those parts of the UK.