Newly Released Video Reveals Ann Widdecombe’s Final Interview Before Police Believe She Was Attacked

Newly released footage has emerged showing former Conservative minister and Reform UK campaigner Ann Widdecombe speaking passionately in defence of Nigel Farage just 20 minutes before police believe she was attacked at her home on the edge of Dartmoor.

The interview is believed to have been recorded at around 12:10pm on Wednesday, shortly before investigators say the attack took place. It is now thought to be one of the last public recordings of the 78-year-old before her death, making the footage especially emotional for many who have since watched it.

During the interview, Ann spoke openly about the controversy surrounding Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who had resigned as an MP following allegations linked to his financial declarations. Staying true to her outspoken style, she criticised the rules requiring MPs to declare their financial interests, arguing that the system had lost its original purpose.

She said the register of interests had become “a joke” and claimed it was now being used to target politicians instead of helping the public understand who might be influencing political decisions. Ann argued that the focus should be on transparency over lobbying rather than using the rules to create political scandals.

Sharing one of her own experiences, she recalled being asked to declare a payment she had received for appearing alongside the famous puppet Basil Brush. Laughing at the memory, she described the requirement as “nonsense” and joked that nobody could seriously believe a fox puppet had influenced her political views.

She also defended Mr Farage over the lengthy investigation into his financial affairs, suggesting the process had dragged on for too long and had been accompanied by constant media speculation. Ann questioned why new issues continued to be raised after earlier matters had already been examined, saying some of them related to events before he had even become an MP.

The clip was released by Times Radio, which said it had been recorded only 20 minutes before police believe the attack happened. The broadcaster said the interview captured Ann’s deeply held political beliefs, sharp wit and decades of experience in public life. It also confirmed the footage was published with the permission of her family.

Following the announcement of her death, tributes poured in from readers, friends, political colleagues and members of the public. Many remembered her as one of Britain’s most recognisable politicians, known for speaking her mind regardless of whether people agreed with her opinions.

Nigel Farage described Ann as a “colossus” of British politics, praising her years of public service and recalling how they worked together during the Brexit campaign before she later joined the Brexit Party and served as a Member of the European Parliament.

What began as a period of mourning soon turned into shock after police confirmed they were treating her death as a murder investigation. Officers initially arrested and later released a 26-year-old man in Devon before detaining a 28-year-old man later in the investigation.

Counter-terrorism police have since become involved, and authorities are now treating the case as terrorism, marking a significant change from the early stages of the investigation when local police had said there was no indication it was terror-related.