Death of Ann Widdecombe

Lord Barber of Chittlehampton Excerpts

Tuesday 14th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her personal tribute to and recollections of Ann Widdecombe. I cannot say I ever had a fruit salad with her and I cannot say I ever went for tea in No. 10 with Mrs Thatcher, but I understand the mood in which she has placed those comments and I thank her for them. I also echo wholeheartedly her wish that, at some point and at some time, somebody will be charged with this murder, will be brought to account and will face the consequences of their foul deed.

[Lord Barber of Chittlehampton (Lab)]

My Lords, I am humbled by the quality of this debate and conversation about somebody I did not know. My association comes from being a resident of Devon, living on the other side of Dartmoor and having spent significant time at Buckfast Abbey, and the shock of hearing of her death was very great. I send condolences to her family and friends, many of them in this Chamber.

Looking at it from the outside, I thought Devon & Cornwall Police handled things rather well in the first few days and I think it is collaborating well with counterterrorism police now. As the investigation continues, I believe that what we all need as we get new insights and facts is to wholeheartedly support all the police involved in this investigation, the counterterrorism police and Devon & Cornwall Police, because they are collaborating very well.

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I am grateful to my noble friend and I agree with and wholeheartedly support his wish for the police to be allowed to get on with the investigation. I was just checking my phone because the police are in fact making a statement as we speak. I cannot update the House on the level of co-operation between Devon & Cornwall Police and Counter Terrorism Policing, but both have the same objective, which is to bring to account an individual, at some point and whoever that individual may be, for this crime. I wish them well in their success and I hope they have speedy outcomes to those investigations.