Former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe has died at the age of 78, her agents announced on Friday, July 10, 2026, as reported by the BBC.
Widdecombe served as the Member of Parliament for Maidstone for 23 years before building a prominent television career and later joining Reform UK.
Political figures across Kent paid tribute, reflecting on her uncompromising style and colorful character.
Tributes from Colleagues and Opponents
Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran called Widdecombe a "national treasure."
"No one could match Ann Widdecombe for her sharp wit, warm humour, common sense, incredible insight and complete honesty," Kemkaran said.
Sally-Ann Marks, former chair of Widdecombe's Conservative constituency in Maidstone, described her as a "one-off" who could have been a stand-up comedian.
"She was incredibly funny, knew how to hold the floor and certainly did," Marks said, adding that despite political disagreements, she always listened to Widdecombe.
Former Conservative leader Lord Michael Howard, who clashed with Widdecombe when she served as prisons minister under him, confirmed they had reconciled.
"She was formidable and she was a real character and she was a good minister, though we did have our fallout," Lord Howard told BBC Radio Kent.
However, he expressed doubt that she had all the qualities needed to be prime minister.
Campaigner Howard Cox disagreed, stating Widdecombe should have been the second female prime minister after Margaret Thatcher.
"She should have been prime minister, there's no doubt about it," Cox said.
Cox also defended her appearances on entertainment television, saying she did it to connect with people, not for self-promotion.
"She was a lousy dancer, she would be the first person to say that," Cox recalled, noting how the public loved her for it.
He concluded that Widdecombe passionately cared about the country and its people.
BBC Radio Kent political reporter Michael Keohan shared personal recollections, including Widdecombe asking him to "read the Riot Act" to producers who called her too early for a radio slot.
Keohan noted that her public persona matched her private communication: forthright and colorful.
He also recalled a joint broadcast where Widdecombe "read the Riot Act to the Archbishop of Canterbury," demonstrating her egalitarian approach.
"Ann Widdecombe didn't take prisoners no matter what part of life it was from," Keohan said.
According to The Guardian, Widdecombe was elected to Parliament in 1987 after working in marketing at Unilever and university financial administration.
She converted to Catholicism in 1993 and held socially conservative views on abortion and LGBT rights, along with strong Euroscepticism that led her to join the Brexit Party in 2019.
Her final political role was as a representative for Nigel Farage's Brexit Party before transitioning to Reform UK.
