UK police release man arrested over killing of former politician Ann Widdecombe

LONDON (AP) — British police on Saturday released a 26-year-old man they arrested as a suspect in the killing of Ann Widdecombe, a former British member of Parliament and reality TV contestant.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the man was no longer under investigation. The force said that “detectives continue to carry out numerous inquiries as part of the ongoing investigation and we remain committed to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Widdecombe, 78, was found dead Thursday in her isolated rural home in the village of Haytor on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in southwest England.

Concerns were raised for her after she failed to appear for a scheduled TV interview on Wednesday afternoon, and she was found dead at her home the next day.

The now-released suspect was arrested Friday in a town a few miles away.

Police later said the killing was not believed to be an act of terror and there was no information to suggest it was politically motivated.

The death sent shock waves through British politics, where Widdecombe had been a prominent voice for decades, known for her robust personality and socially conservative views opposing abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ rights.

She was a lawmaker in the House of Commons as an MP from 1987 to 2010, serving in roles including prisons minister in Prime Minister John Major’s 1990s Conservative government.

Widdecombe found fame after leaving Parliament as a contestant on the reality television shows “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Celebrity Big Brother.”

She later joined the Brexit Party, briefly serving as a member of the European Parliament before Britain left the European Union in 2020. Most recently, she joined the anti-immigration Reform UK party, often appearing in the media as a spokesperson.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called her death “really shocking news,” and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she “really struggled to find the words to say.”

“It was a nasty, horrific attack and my heart is breaking for her family,” Badenoch said.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was deeply upset over Widdecombe’s death and claimed that “things have become even more dangerous” for people in public life.

Security has been tightened for politicians after the murders of two serving members of Parliament in the past decade. Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, and Conservative David Amess was stabbed in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the Islamic State group.

FILE -Ann Widdecombe, Brexit Party member, is interviewed after Nigel Farage, Leader of Britain's Brexit Party, spoke on stage at the launch of their policies for the General Election campaign, in London, Nov. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

FILE - Britain's European parliament member Ann Widdecombe, right, of the Brexit party, speaks during a debate at the European parliament, Jan. 14, 2020, in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, File)

Police outside the house of former lawmaker Ann Widdecombe, in Haytor, England, Friday July 10, 2026, after she was found dead in her home on Thursday with serious injuries. (Matt Keeble/PA via AP)

Police outside the house of former lawmaker Ann Widdecombe, in Haytor, England, Friday July 10, 2026, after she was found dead in her home on Thursday with serious injuries. (Matt Keeble/PA via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration issued subpoenas on Friday to several New York Times journalists after its report this week on security concerns involving the new Air Force One, according to the paper.

The new jet, which President Donald Trump received as a gift from Qatar, just entered service last week.

The subpoenas seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, the paper said, adding that federal agents delivered some subpoenas to the reporters at their homes.

The NYT report could not be independently confirmed and there was no immediate response from the White House or the Department of Justice.

“The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,” said the paper's lawyer David McCraw in a Friday statement.

The developments come after Trump flew the new Air Force One to a NATO summit in Turkey. But he departed Wednesday on one of the older-model Air Force One jets for a trip to Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, England. The two jets both flew to Mildenhall. Trump then switched to the newer plane for the flight home to Joint Base Andrews.

The abrupt plane swap came as a shaky cease-fire with Iran had collapsed, with the U.S. launching airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacking three Gulf Arab states. Iran and Turkey share a border, sparking speculation that the Qatari-gifted jet — which underwent a $400 million retrofit — lacked certain sophisticated security and countermeasure systems.

The paper reported Wednesday the switch had come at the urging of the Secret Service. On Thursday, the paper said the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities. Both articles cited anonymous sources.

Trump, at the time, denied any security concerns, posting on social media that the stop in Mildenhall was so that service members there could view the new jet. During the flight, Trump denied to the reporters accompanying him that security concerns involving Iran were a factor in flying two planes home. Asked if he was aware of any credible threats against Air Force One by Iran, Trump brushed off the question.

“I have a threat all the time. I’m No. 1 on their list,” he said

The White House later denied any security shortcomings on the new plane.

“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection — to address those threats.”

The Times journalists who received subpoenas included Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt, the paper reported.

Earlier this year, the Justice Department issued subpoenas seeking to compel testimony from reporters at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. In both cases, the DOJ later withdrew the subpoenas.

Associated Press reporters Michelle L. Price and Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.

Staff lay a carpet on the tarmac before President Donald Trump exits Air Force One upon arriving for the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on Air Force One at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Air Force One carrying President Donald Trump arrives for the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Abdullah Güçlü, Pool Photo via AP)