UK police release suspect in murder of former minister Ann Widdecombe

LONDON- A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of the murder of former British government minister Ann Widdecombe has been released and is no longer part of the investigation, police said on Saturday.

"Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined," Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said in a statement released by Devon and Cornwall police.

"Our murder enquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace. We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened," he added.

Ambulance workers called police to Widdecombe's home in rural southwest England on Thursday, where she had been found dead after suffering serious injuries, police said.

Widdecombe, 78, was known for her socially conservative views, first as a junior minister in Conservative prime minister John Major's 1992-1997 government and latterly as an immigration and justice spokesperson for Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK.

News on Friday of her death led to tributes from across the political spectrum in Britain, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Reporting by David Milliken in London and Preetika Parashuraman in Bengaluru; editing by Barbara Lewis/REUTERS