Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe dies at 78

Former Conservative minister turned Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe has died aged 78.

"It is with great sadness that today we announce the death of The Right Honourable Ann Widdecombe, DSG," a statement from her agents, Cloud 9 Management, said.

"We send our deepest condolences to Ann's family and friends," they added.

Widdecombe's political career spanned decades, serving as MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years, before going on to join Reform UK.

She also appeared on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and was a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.

Widdecombe served as a Home Office and an employment minister in Sir John Major's government between 1994 to 1997.

She was a staunch supporter of the UK's departure from the EU and between 2019-2020 served as a Brexit Party MEP for South West England in the European Parliament.

In 2023, Widdecombe joined Nigel Farage's Reform UK, after the party changed its name from the Brexit Party, and made a number of appearances as Reform's immigration and justice spokesperson.

Following news of her death, Nigel Farage credited Widdecombe for playing a "decisive role" in getting Brexit "over the line".

"When Ann Widdecombe decided to stand for The Brexit Party in the snap 2019 European Elections, it was a big moment and huge boost. The voters loved her," he wrote in a post on X, adding she would be "missed by us all".

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described Widdecombe as a "formidable politician who was never afraid to speak her mind and fought hard for what she believed".

Tory MP and former party leader Iain Duncan Smith said she expressed her views "strongly and straight, which was refreshing in many senses and sometimes difficult".

By appearing on Strictly turn, he said she discovered "a new lease of life, an inner Ann that we never had any sight of at all".

In a statement, her agents said her life and career were "driven by her strong Christian values and commitment to public service".

They added that Widdecombe loved the "cut and thrust of political debate" and despite leaving Parliament 16 years ago, was "still actively campaigning for Reform UK".

"For many, of course, she will be best (or worst?) remembered for her unforgettable appearances on Strictly Come Dancing, defying the judges week-after-week as the public delighted in her unsuccessful attempts to follow the choreography of the long-suffering Anton Du Beke," the statement went on to say.

The former Tory minister became a favourite with viewers when she appeared on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, reaching the semi-finals.

Speaking on Friday morning, health secretary James Murray said Widdecombe "was never shy of having quite firm views and sharing them quite willingly".

"I can't say I always agreed with her views, but she was such a part of our politics," the Labour minister told Times Radio, adding "everyone can recognise the contribution that she made to politics" and public life.

During her parliamentary career, Widdecombe, a staunch Catholic, often sparked controversy due to her socially conservative views, including opposing abortion and comments about the LGBT community.

In 2019, the former minister received backlash after suggesting science might one day "produce an answer" to being gay.

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