UK Police Release Suspect in Ex-Minister's Murder

A 26-year-old man who was detained on suspicion of murdering former British minister Ann Widdecombe has been released and is no longer part of the investigation, police said Saturday.

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

"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.

Emergency responders called police to Widdecombe's home in the countryside of southwest England on Thursday. They found her there dead with serious injuries, police said.

Widdecombe died at the age of 78. She was known for her socially conservative views. She first served as a junior minister in the government of Conservative Prime Minister John Major from 1992 to 1997, and later as the spokesperson for migration and justice for Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.

(Reuters, luc)