British counter-terrorism police have opened an investigation into the killing of former politician Ann Widdecombe after new evidence raised the possibility of a terrorist motive.
British media reported that the body of the 78-year-old former MP was found in her home last Thursday with severe injuries.
Police arrested a 28-year-old suspect on Saturday, initially on suspicion of murder, and at that stage said they were not working on the basis of terrorist or political motives.
Following the emergence of new information and evidence, investigators shifted their focus and have now re-arrested the man on suspicion of committing, preparing or inciting acts of terrorism, according to the BBC.
Laurence Taylor, head of the UK counter-terrorism unit, said detectives were pursuing several lines of inquiry to establish the motive for the killing.
He appealed for anyone with relevant information to contact police and thanked local communities, the public and the media for their support during the investigation.
Widdecombe served for a time in the House of Commons and worked as an adviser to the Conservative Party.
In the 1990s, she was a junior minister responsible for employment and prisons, and in 2019 she was elected to the European Parliament as a member of the Brexit Party, now Reform UK.
She was widely known for her Eurosceptic views and for advocating conservative positions on issues including abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
