Ann Widdecombe, longtime Conservative MP who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, dies aged 78
Widdecombe's political career spanned decades, serving as MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years, before going on to join Reform UK.
Ann Widdecombe, the former MP and MEP who also featured on Strictly Come Dancing, has died at the age of 78.
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Widdecombe was a Conservative MP between 1987 and 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone and the Weald, and held several ministerial positions in Sir John Major’s government.
She left the Conservatives to join the Brexit Party in 2019 and became a supporter of Reform UK in 2023. Most recently, she was Reform's justice and immigration adviser.
Throughout her political career, Ms Widdecombe was a prominent Eurosceptic and supported the Vote Leave campaign during the 2016 Brexit referendum.
She will also be widely remembered for her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 where she was paired with professional dancer Anton Du Beke.
Despite low marks from the judges, she won support from viewers and lasted 10 weeks on the show.
Widdecombe also appeared on other TV programmes such as Celebrity Big Brother, hosted Have I Got News For You and the 2002 documentary When Louis Met... Ann Widdecombe with Louis Theroux.
She also appeared in a number of pantomimes alongside stars such as Basil Brush and Craig Revel-Horwood.
A statement from her management said: “It is with great sadness that today we announce the death of the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe, DSG.
“We send our deepest condolences to Ann’s family and friends. We ask that the family’s wish not to be contacted at this sad time is respected.”
Widdecombe was also known for her socially conservative views, which included opposing the legality of abortion and widening rights for the LGBT community during her Commons career.
She famously clashed with her Conservative colleague Michael Howard, when she was a Home Office minister and he home secretary, describing him as having “something of the night about him”.
Ms Widdecombe also faced flak for defending a policy of chaining pregnant prisoners to their beds.
She claimed to have no interest in sex, and never married.
Ann Noreen Widdecombe was born on October 4 1947 in Bath, Somerset.
She was the daughter of James Murray Widdecombe CB OBE and Mrs. Rita Widdecombe. Her father's occupation was Head of Naval Supplies & Transport at the Ministry of Defence.
Widdecombe was educated at the Royal Naval School Singapore and La Sainte Union Convent in Bath.
She then went on to study Latin at Birmingham University before PPE at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University.
She was the secretary and Treasurer of The Oxford Union, and she was also a committee Member of Oxford University Conservative Association.
While studying at Oxford, Widdecombe reportedly lived next door to Mary Archer, Edwina Currie, and Gyles Brandreth's wife Michèle Brown.
She worked for Unilever and then as an administrator at the University of London before entering Parliament.
Widdecombe became the elected member of Parliament for Maidstone in 1987.
In 1990, she was appointed PPS to Tristan Garel-Jones Minister at the Foreign Office and also Under Secretary of State for Social Security in John Major's first administration where she specialised in pensions.
She was then appointed Under Secretary of State Department of Employment in 1993 and a year later Minister of State Department of Employment.
In 1995, she was then made Minister of State Home Office with responsibility for prisons and immigration.
Widdecombe also become shadow Health Secretary in 1998 then shadow Home Secretary in 1999.
In October 2007, she announced her intention to retire at the next General Election.
In 2019, she shared her plans to run as a Brexit MEP candidate.
She ended her MEP role following the UK's departure from the EU.
