Esther McVey has expressed her utter heartbreak over the death of her long-standing friend Ann Widdecombe, remembering her most for her profound kindness. Widdecombe, a remarkable woman with strong principles and deep convictions, was a close friend and colleague for 30 years.
A Friendship Spanning Three Decades
McVey and Widdecombe first met 30 years ago while working on a legal TV series called Nothing but the Truth for Channel 4. They remained friends ever since, with McVey touring the country with Widdecombe during her show An Evening with Ann Widdecombe. McVey recalled that Widdecombe had jet black hair when they first met, and she later helped her go blonde, after which Widdecombe never looked back.
Funny Nights and Political Support
McVey credited Widdecombe with helping her get into politics, and in return, she invited Widdecombe to Liverpool to perform a cabaret night at a comedy club for McVey's businesswomen's network group. Widdecombe was always game for a laugh, and McVey described it as one of the funniest evenings of her life. For someone so full of life, it is heartbreaking that her life was taken in such appalling circumstances.
Other News: Jerry Hall at 70
This month, Jerry Hall, one of the world's first supermodels, turned 70. Her star-studded, rock and roll life has been full of twists and turns, from being girlfriend to Bryan Ferry to marrying Mick Jagger and then Rupert Murdoch. At 70, she is still stunning, back doing Vogue model shoots and set to appear in Celebrity Traitors later this year.
Union Funding and Donation Caps
The GMB, one of Britain's biggest trade unions, has written to its affiliated Labour MPs urging them not to vote to cap donations to political parties at either £100,000 or £1 million, warning it could endanger union funding for the party. The government's legislation, intended to curtail donations to Reform UK, may inadvertently snooker themselves.
Overseas Aid Demands
Labour grandees and backbenchers are demanding that Andy Burnham spend 0.7% of national income on overseas aid. A collection of essays by the New Economics Foundation argues that a Burnham government should increase overseas aid to around £20 billion a year, at a time when the government cannot fund the nation's defence. The project has the backing of David Miliband, touted as the next foreign secretary.
Young Gardening Talent
Move over Alan Titchmarsh; there is a new gardening national treasure in the making. Dan Stearne, aged 23, has just won an RHS gold medal. His love of gardening started when he was a toddler spending time with his grandma tending plants after school. Impressively, he started a business called Dan's Plants at age 14, then completed a degree apprenticeship to stay at home and grow the business alongside his plants. With the Royal Horticultural Show next year back at Tatton Park in Cheshire, McVey plans to visit Dan's Plants for gardening tips.
