Devon and Cornwall Police has come under fire over its handling of the investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe after the case was transferred to Counter Terrorism Policing.
The force had repeatedly said there was nothing to suggest the killing had been politically motivated or linked to terrorism in a series of public statements released after news of Miss Widdecombe’s death on Friday.
However, on Monday lunchtime, the head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing announced that the national unit had taken over the investigation after officers uncovered “new information and evidence”.
A 28-year-old white British man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who was arrested on Saturday evening on suspicion of murder, was rearrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Laurence Taylor, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said: “We now have new information and evidence that means Counter Terrorism Policing is leading the investigation… We are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for this attack.”
The motive behind the alleged murder remains unclear, but Devon and Cornwall Police has faced criticism over its earlier comments about the possibility that Miss Widdecombe may have been targeted because of her political views.
Miss Widdecombe was Reform UK’s spokesman on immigration and justice, and the force had repeatedly rejected suggestions that she may have been deliberately targeted over her politics.
Jonathan Hall, the Government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said he was “surprised” the force had guided the public away from the possibility that there was a political element to the killing.
He said police had “broken one of the golden rules of investigations” by commenting on a live inquiry before all the facts were known.
Mr Hall said: “I don’t understand why Devon and Cornwall Police were steering the public away from the idea that this was a terrorist case and I don’t know why they didn’t simply say they had an open mind as to the motivation.
“I think they probably broke one of the golden rules of investigations, which is not to comment on live investigations in case new facts emerge. So that aspect is slightly regrettable.”
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, warned on Saturday that the murder may have been premeditated.
Party sources also accused police of “gaslighting” the public over the suspect’s motive.
Political opponents had previously accused Reform of using Miss Widdecombe’s death as propaganda and said the party was scaremongering.
Meanwhile, safeguarding minister Natalie Fleet was forced to apologise after attacking Mr Farage and Reform UK over claims that police and parliamentary authorities were failing to protect the party’s MPs.
In a now-deleted post on X on Sunday night, Ms Fleet wrote: “Nigel Farage and his gang of binmen get the same security as the rest of us. Sick of the faux outrage.
“None of them cared when a senior Reform UK politician was sharing my death threats!”
Ms Fleet later withdrew the post following a backlash led by Lee Anderson, the Reform MP for Ashfield.
Richard Tice, the Reform UK deputy leader, demanded an apology on Monday after it emerged the investigation was now being treated as terror-related.
Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf also criticised police appeals for people not to speculate about the motive behind the crime.
He said such warnings meant people were effectively being told to “shut up and accept the establishment narrative”.
Gawain Towler, a Reform UK board member, said the handling of the investigation risked further damaging confidence in policing.
He said: “In a time when trust in the police is at an all time low, this just plays into that they are trying to massage public opinion rather than do the job of investigating a brutal murder.
“By appearing to rule something out and then a few days later bringing it back in, they look manipulative and that’s a shame.”
In a statement to the House of Commons, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the circumstances surrounding Miss Widdecombe’s death as “extremely distressing”.
She confirmed the case was now being treated as terrorism and said the suspect in custody was not known to the Government’s anti-extremism Prevent programme.
Following the killing, she also said she was willing to meet Mr Farage to discuss security arrangements, despite him not being an MP after resigning to force a by-election.
She said: “I recognise the particular concern that the Reform Party will feel today. And of course, Nigel Farage, the party’s leader.
“I am happy to offer a meeting for Mr Farage with the chair of RAVEC, the independent body within the Home Office that manages the security of those in public life.
“I will also be looking at what security guidance can be provided to former Members of Parliament.”