Former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has paid tribute to Ann Widdecombe, describing her “a remarkable woman” who “enthralled” the nation.
Ms Widdecombe, a former Tory MP, Brexit Party MEP and government minister, was found dead at her property in Devon on Thursday morning.
In a press conference on Friday, police confirmed that the 78-year-old had suffered “serious injuries” and that a 26-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Speaking to GB News just hours after this announcement, Sir Iain recalled first working with Ms Widdecombe following his appointment to William Hague’s Shadow Cabinet in 1997.
Ms Widdecombe had previously served as Employment Minister and Prisons Minister under John Major between 1993 and 1997.
“I knew her as a government minister when I got in, and I very quickly realised that she was quite strident and determined in debates. It was very difficult to dislodge her. I also was able to see how passionate she felt about key issues.”
Sir Iain also described how Ms Widdecombe’s eccentric personality shone through on her TV appearances beyond politics- famously competing in Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and finishing as runner-up in Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.
“Even though she was very strident and could be very difficult to argue with… she also knew that her profile was like this. And so when you saw her go off and do the dancing, being spun around the stage and being lowered by wires, you could see in a way her sense of her own and a humor about herself.”
“She was parodying herself when she did it and having a wonderful time. And in doing that, one of the people you would think least would understand how to reach out to generations that were not of hers were immediately enthralled by this woman that was prepared to make them laugh.
“She also happened to be a serious politician…which made her a remarkable woman in many senses.”
Ms Widdecombe was widely known for her Euroscepticism during her 23-year tenure as a Conservative MP for Maidstone between 1987 and 2010.
She defected to the Brexit Party in 2019 in protest against Britain’s failure to leave the European Union, and later became a spokesman for Reform UK.
Sir Iain told GB News that he was sad to see her jump ship to Nigel Farage’s outfit, but admired the way in which she stuck to her principles.
“She stood up in the European Parliament and said, ‘we’re happy to go’, causing consternation for all the MEPs.
“I was sorry she went to Reform, but I understood what she was about. She felt passionate about Brexit.”
In his tribute to Ms Widdecombe, Sir Iain stressed that new MPs should look to her determination and commitment for inspiration.
“I often say now to new MPs that come in, if you want a career, this is not a career.
“This is, at the end of the day, a vocation, and you see that very clearly in people like Ann Widdecombe. It’s a vocation. There is no time to them. They just come out and fight.
“That’s what we have to do, fight for the things we believe in, because that’s why we’re in politics and that’s why I shall miss her enormously.”
