Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has paid tribute to "formidable politician" Ann Widdecombe, whose death was announced on Friday.
Widdecombe, a former Tory Home Office minister who later became a Brexit Party MEP under Nigel Farage, was 78.
She retired as an MP in 2010, having served the constituency of Maidstone and The Weald since 1987.
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.”
After her retirement, Widdecombe became a TV personality and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing the same year, where she was partnered by Anton du Beke, winning the support of some viewers despite receiving low marks from the judges.
She was a runner-up in Big Brother in 2018.
The former Tory shadow home secretary was a committed Brexiter. She sat in the European Parliament until 2020 after winning the South West England seat for the Brexit Party.
Born in Bath, Widdecombe was known for holding traditional values and conservatism. A committed Christian, she opposed granting LGBT people legal rights such as the same age of consent as heterosexuals, and opposed the repeal of Section 28. She was anti-abortion and an opponent of assisted dying.
She famously clashed with her Conservative colleague Michael Howard, when she was a Home Office minister and he was the Home Secretary, describing him as having “something of the night about him”.
Widdecombe also faced flak for defending a policy of chaining pregnant prisoners to their beds.
In 2023, Widdecombe joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, the successor to the Brexit Party, and, the following year, appeared at its party conference as Reform’s immigration spokesperson.
In a statement, her management team, Cloud9 Management, said the former MP “loved the cut and thrust of political debate” and was a “consummate professional”.
“Never afraid to send herself up, Ann loved her musical tribute by Victoria Wood and was always game for a laugh, happy to play up to her public persona as a grumpy old woman or the panto villain," it said.
“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 continued: "A consummate professional and a delight to work with, indefatigable to the last, we know this news will come as a great shock to the many colleagues and friends she made along the way and our sympathies go to them and her family."
In a post on social, Badenoch paid tribute to Widdecombe, saying she was "never afraid to speak her mind".
The Tory leader said: "My deepest condolences and those of the Conservative Party to the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe.
"She was a formidable politician who was never afraid to speak her mind and fought hard for what she believed. Always true to herself, her politics were strongly guided by her faith and her values. Rest in Peace, Ann."
0:00 Obituary
1:57 Fiery 2019 interview
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