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

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

“Our murder investigation is at an early stage, but it is moving quickly. We are committing every resource necessary to establish what happened,” he added.

Paramedics alerted police to Widdecombe’s home in Devon, southwest England, on Thursday, where she was found dead with serious injuries, officers said.

Widdecombe, 78, was known for her staunch conservative views. She served as a minister under Conservative Prime Minister John Major, rising to Minister of State for Prisons between 1995 and 1997, and most recently acted as immigration and justice spokesperson for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.

After her death was announced on Friday, figures from across the British political spectrum paid tribute to the former minister, among them Prime Minister Keir Starmer.