What’s going on with the policing of the Ann Widdecombe killing?
There has been frustration at the incremental release of details on the death of Ann Widdecombe from police, but are they following the only approach possible as conspiracy theories and disinformation runs wild on social media?
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What’s the story?
Ann Widdecombe was killed in her home on Wednesday 8 July, her body found 24 hours later.
The death of the divisive politician has been met with shock and grief from those who knew the former Tory politician, and a 28-year-old man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire – who is believed to have driven to her home in Haytor, Devon – has been arrested.
Devon and Cornwall police stated repeatedly it believed there was no political link to her killing during incremental, and frequent, updates on the investigation.
That, however, has changed, with the investigation now in the hands of counter-terrorism police, as “multiple lines of inquiry” are explored.
In the days since her death, conspiracy theories have been widespread, despite police calls for people to not speculate. These have included claims about the police themselves, that they may have been deliberately misleading the public, or withholding information.
Andy Hughes, co-host of The Crime Agents, tells The News Agents that this is not the case.
"When they made that statement about no political motive yesterday, that would have been the truth," Hughes tells Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel.
"But clearly, what has happened is either in the police interview, or in the search of the home or devices of the suspect, they have found something that suggests that this is political."
How the 2024 Southport murders changed British policing
Releasing information to the public incrementally, as officers confirm details, Hughes says, has become normal practice since the Southport murders of 2024, and the disinformation and violence that followed in the aftermath.
"Since Southport, police chiefs have always made a point of updating at every point," Hughes says.
"Ironically, this has happened in this case, but it doesn't stop people criticising the police.
"The difference in the age that we're living in, is that it used to just be online keyboard warriors, but now we're seeing prominent politicians [and activists] joining those calls."
He says the suggestion that police collectively agree to lie to the public is simply “not how it works”, and believes it’s right for police to share the ethnicities of people arrested with the public.
"I think it's entirely appropriate, especially in the world that we're living in, and this thirst for information," Hughes adds.
"If you don't give people the information, then other people will create their own narrative."
In 2024, rioters targeted migrant hotels with mobs and firebombs, despite the attacker being of Rwandan descent, but born and bred in the UK.
‘MPs told to prepare for the worst, or lock themselves away’
The killing of Ann Widdecombe has reignited conversations around protection for MPs – recently spotlighted by Nigel Farage and a £5 million donation from a crypto billionaire which he initially said was to pay for security, and later said he could spend it however he liked.
Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, North London, tells The News Agents that the death of Widdecombe is "terrifying" – especially for someone involved in several court cases related to the harassment she has faced from the public.
"Anne Widdecombe always wanted to live a life where she was very open to the public, where she was somebody who would talk to people," Creasy says.
"The fear and intimidation and harassment for MPs in public life is now so great, you face two choices.
"Either you resign yourself to the fact that something awful is going to happen, or you lock yourself away. Neither is sustainable."
She says with a rise in the "temperature" in British politics, it was "inevitable" that violent incidents witnessed in other parts of the world would eventually start taking place in the UK.
Currently in the UK, only ex-prime ministers are given taxpayer-funded security. Ann Widdeeombe was not an MP at the time of her death.
The scale of operation to provide security teams to all 650 MPs, plus members of the House of Lords, and senior civil servants and spokespeople would cost taxpayers a huge amount and a "a fundamental rethink of what an open democracy looks like," Jon adds.