Former British MP and Ex-MEP Ann Widdecombe Dies at 78

LONDON: Former British Conservative MP and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Ann Widdecombe, one of the United Kingdom’s most recognizable and outspoken political figures, has died at the age of 78, her management confirmed on Friday.

Widdecombe served as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Maidstone from 1987 until her retirement in 2010. During her parliamentary career, she held several ministerial positions under former Prime Minister John Major, including Minister of State for Employment and Minister of State for Prisons, earning a reputation for her forthright views and uncompromising political style.

Following her departure from Westminster, Widdecombe remained active in public life through broadcasting, writing and television, gaining widespread popularity after appearing on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010. A committed Eurosceptic, she later joined the Brexit Party and served as an MEP for South West England from 2019 to 2020 before becoming associated with Reform UK.

In a statement announcing her death, her management described Widdecombe as a “consummate professional” who “loved the cut and thrust of political debate.” Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage describing her as “a force of nature,” while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch hailed her as a “formidable politician” whose contributions to public life would be long remembered.

Known for her outspoken views on social and political issues, Widdecombe remained an influential voice in British public discourse long after leaving frontline politics, leaving behind a legacy that spanned Parliament, European politics, broadcasting and literature.