Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative MP and prominent Brexit advocate, has died at the age of 78, her representatives have confirmed. Widdecombe was a familiar face in British politics for decades, serving as the MP for Maidstone and later as a Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party. She also gained widespread recognition for her appearance on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2010.
Political Career and Key Roles
Widdecombe represented the constituency of Maidstone in Kent as a Conservative MP for 23 years, from 1987 until 2010. During her tenure, she served as prisons minister under Prime Minister John Major from 1995 to 1997. After William Hague's resignation in 2001, she made an unsuccessful bid for the Conservative Party leadership, failing to secure sufficient backing among her peers. In 2009, she also contested the role of Speaker of the House of Commons but was defeated by fellow Tory John Bercow.
Brexit Advocacy and Later Political Moves
A vocal supporter of Brexit during the 2016 referendum, Widdecombe helped persuade Britain to leave the European Union. She left the Conservative Party in 2019 and joined the Brexit Party. That same year, she was elected to the European Parliament, where she used her inaugural speech in Strasbourg to declare, "Nous allons, wir gehen, we're off!" She also contested the 2019 general election for the Brexit Party in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, finishing third but retaining her deposit. In 2023, she threw her support behind Reform UK and later served as the party's justice and immigration adviser.
Television Appearances and Public Life
Beyond politics, Widdecombe became a household name after participating in Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, charming viewers despite receiving low marks from the judges and lasting until week nine. She also presented the panel show Have I Got News For You? twice and featured in a 2002 documentary with Louis Theroux.
Tributes Pour In
Tributes began flooding in on Friday, July 10. Reform UK's Mayor for Greater Lincolnshire, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, said: "Rest in peace, Ann Widdecombe. A true political titan who served her country as an MP, Minister, and MEP with unwavering devotion to her principles. She was a giant of public life, completely unapologetic in her views, and a one-of-a-kind character who left an indelible mark on Westminster and beyond. She will be greatly missed."
Durham County Council deputy leader Darren Grimes added: "Ann Widdecombe is gone, and Britain is smaller for it this morning. She went into politics to serve, not to be served, and working people trusted her because she never talked down to them. She was one of us. May she rest in peace and rise in glory."
Reform's Staffordshire County Council leader, Martin Murray, said: "I had the pleasure of meeting Ann on several occasions over the years, in various roles. A true powerhouse and honourable lady who stood for what she believed."
