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The police investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe is examining whether a leftwing or single-issue cause may lie behind her killing, the Guardian has learned.
Among issues detectives are investigating are whether a hatred of Widdecombe’s strong views, such as on homosexuality, was a factor. They are also examining whether extreme hostility to the Reform UK party played a role.
Counter-terrorism police (CTP) took over the investigation on Monday from the local Devon and Cornwall force, and rearrested the man on terrorism charges.
CTP assumed control after searches at the suspect’s home and other information gained after his arrest led detectives to believe a possible political motivation warranted further investigation.
The news comes as counter-terrorism police said on Tuesday that Widdecombe was killed in a “targeted attack”.
Investigators are considering whether leftwing, anarchist and single-issue terrorism (LASIT) played a role in the suspect’s alleged motivation, but are keeping an open mind as new material emerges.
Whether those views led to the attack, and whether they could be evidenced, are key parts of the investigation.
Sources stress the investigation is at an early stage, and warn that initial assumptions can change as inquiries progress.
The inquiry is also looking into the the suspect’s mental health history.
At a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the head of counter-terrorism policing, assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor, said: “We are working to understand the planning and preparation and the motivation that sits behind the attack.”
He said he would not comment on whether the suspected murder was an attack on Reform UK, adding: “I don’t want to rule out anything”.
Asked whether other figures associated with the party could have been targeted by the suspect, he said: “That will form a line of investigation to ensure that we are putting all appropriate measures in place to mitigate any threat, should it become apparent. I’m not saying there is or there isn’t at this stage.”
“We are working through what the motivation for the attack currently is,” he said. And he said that officers had been granted seven additional days to question the suspect.
A 28-year-old man from Rotherham was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of the murder of Widdecombe, formerly a senior Conservative and then Reform spokesperson, in her Devon home.
The question of whether a TV appearance might have motivated the killing is a “line of inquiry”, Taylor said. Widdecombe. 78, had appeared on TalkTV on Wednesday morning. Police believe she was attacked at about 12.30pm on the same day at her home outside Haytor Vale, a village on the edge of Dartmoor.
Earlier on Tuesday, Reform UK’s Treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick criticised the government for not offering Nigel Farage a security meeting earlier, saying it had only happened “as a result” of Widdecombe’s death.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Jenrick was challenged over attacking the media, the government and the House of Commons speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, and asked whether it suited him and Farage to “change the subject nationally” away from questions about Farage’s £5m gift and on to his security arrangements.
Jenrick responded: “The government chose not to give Nigel the security that he needed. They now have, as a result of Ann Widdecombe’s appalling murder, offered him a meeting … We are not mainstream politicians. We are politicians who are fighting the establishment every single day. We’re not backing down.”
His comments came after reports that Farage had previously rejected a state-funded security package, which included a bodyguard, a secure car and a trained driver, because he believed it represented a downgrade on the protection he had previously received.
The Treasury minister Lucy Rigby said the threats that politicians were facing reflected a “horrific” climate of abuse and intimidation more broadly. “There is just this increasing climate of abuse and intimidation, including via social media, and in the very worst cases, extreme violence,” she said.
Noting MPs had been offered increased security, Rigby added: “I think it’s really troubling – more than troubling; it’s pretty horrific, really – this increased culture of violence that affects those in public life.”
Meanwhile, the Devon and Cornwall police and crime commissioner defended her force from criticism over its handling of the inquiry, and the length of time until counter-terror officers took charge.
Alison Hernandez said: “It is not unusual that in a fast-paced investigation, more information comes to light that changes the nature or the character of what the police are dealing with.
“I am confident that Devon and Cornwall police has provided a substantial and professional response to Ann Widdecombe’s death.”
She also noted the significant disruption caused by the investigation. “I am sure the impact of this major operation has meant that some people have had to wait longer than they would expect for routine services, or have not yet had their issues resolved, and I apologise for that,” she said. But she said the local force would return to business as usual in the coming days.
The suspect is believed to have driven about 270 miles from Rotherham to Widdecombe’s home, beaten her to the extent that she suffered catastrophic injuries, and then driven back to South Yorkshire.
The man is believed to have acted alone, and police have said no one else is being sought.
The suspect is not thought to have been known to South Yorkshire police, according to initial inquiries by the force, and was not on the radar of the government’s counter-terror Prevent scheme.
While the killing is being investigated by counter-terrorism police, it has not been formally designated as a terrorist attack. That is a decision made by the senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism.
