UK police release suspect in killing of former politician Ann Widdecombe

British police have released a 26-year-old man arrested as a suspect in the killing of former politician Ann Widdecombe. The man, detained Friday near the scene of the attack, is no longer under investigation, according to Devon and Cornwall Police. Detectives are now working at a "significant pace" to find the perpetrator, assuring the public that there is no perceived risk.

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at a significant pace

Widdecombe, 78, was found dead on Thursday in her isolated rural home in Haytor, southwest England. Police revealed she had sustained "serious injuries" and is believed to have been attacked around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Concerns were raised after she missed a scheduled TV interview that afternoon. The cause of death has not been disclosed.

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serious injuries

The killing is not being treated as politically motivated or an act of terror. However, the incident has reignited concerns about the safety of politicians in the UK, following the murders of Labour lawmaker Jo Cox in 2016 and Conservative David Amess in 2021. Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, to which Widdecombe belonged, stated that internal checks of party emails did not reveal any specific threats directed at her.

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we can't identify, from our data, any individual

Widdecombe, a prominent and socially conservative voice in British politics for decades, served as a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. After leaving Parliament, she gained public recognition through reality television shows and later joined the Brexit Party and most recently the Reform UK party. Friends and colleagues remembered her for her personal kindness, contrasting it with her often pugnacious public statements.

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really shocking news