Police in Devon and Cornwall launch a murder investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative MP and government minister aged 78. Multiple reports say officers are examining the circumstances after Widdecombe is found dead at a home in the Dartmoor area of Devon, with media accounts describing serious injuries and blood around her head. Police are described as conducting preliminary inquiries while specialist teams carry out forensic examinations at the property, which remains cordoned off, and a police update is expected to be released later. The Independent and other outlets report the inquiry is treated as a murder investigation rather than only a suspicious death, with authorities referring to ongoing preliminary work and a coroner’s office handling early inquiries. Widdecombe’s death draws political reactions from senior figures including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and leaders from the Conservative and Reform parties, reflecting her long career in Parliament between 1987 and 2010 and later activity in other political roles. Reports describe police as investigating but do not include a confirmed cause of death beyond references to serious injuries.