British counterterrorism police are leading the investigation into the slaying of a former lawmaker turned TV personality who was found dead last week inside her home in western England.
An ambulance crew called police Thursday after finding the body of Ann Widdecombe, 78, covered in blood from a suspicious head wound, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.
Devon & Cornwall police said she died as a result of “serious injuries.”
A man described by police as a White, 26-year-old British national was taken into custody Friday. At the time, the motive had not yet been determined.
British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Monday that counterterrorism police are leading the inquiry as a result of “new information and evidence” into Ms. Widdecombe’s death.
“The police are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motive for this attack,” Ms. Mahmood posted on X.
The detained man, who has not been identified, was re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, British law enforcement officials said.
Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, said the investigation will build on the work begun by Devon & Cornwall police.
“Our priority is progressing this investigation quickly, with all the capabilities we have available to us,” Mr. Taylor said in a statement.
Ms. Widdecombe served in Parliament as a Conservative Party member for more than 20 years. A prominent Eurosceptic, she later represented the Brexit Party in the European Parliament before joining Reform UK, which called her “the most significant woman in British politics since Margaret Thatcher.”
“If anyone can be said to have changed politics for good, it was Ann Widdecombe,” Reform party officials posted on X.
Ms. Widdecombe had a second career on TV and radio after stepping down from Parliament. She was a contestant on “Strictly Come Dancing” — the British version of “Dancing With the Stars” — in 2010 and a runner-up on the British version of “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2018.
She also hosted “Ann Widdecombe Versus,” a documentary series in which she spoke with community members about social issues such as prostitution and gang activity in the United Kingdom.
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