Ann Widdecombe Death: Kent Pays Tribute to ‘National Treasure’

Key Points

• Former Maidstone MP and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe has died aged 78.
• Her death was announced on Friday morning by her agents.
• Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran described her as a “national treasure”.
• Sally-Ann Marks, former chair of Widdecombe’s Conservative constituency association in Maidstone, said she was a “one-off” who “could have been a stand-up comedian”.
• Widdecombe served as MP for Maidstone for 23 years before later joining Reform UK.
• She famously said in 1997 that then home secretary Lord Michael Howard had “something of the night about him”.
• Lord Howard said the pair had since reconciled, calling her “formidable” and “a good minister”.
• Campaigner Howard Cox said Widdecombe “should have been prime minister”.
• Widdecombe was also known for appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and finishing runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.
• BBC Radio Kent’s political reporter Michael Keohan recalled her forthright manner in dealings with broadcasters, including an exchange with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Kent (Britain Today News) July 10, 2026 – Tributes have been paid from across Kent to Ann Widdecombe, the former Maidstone MP and later Reform UK spokeswoman, who has died aged 78. Her death was announced on Friday morning by the agents representing the veteran politician, who spent more than two decades representing the constituency before later switching her allegiance to Reform UK. Colleagues, former constituency officials and broadcasters have since come forward to share their memories of a woman widely regarded as one of the most distinctive and outspoken figures in modern British politics.

Who Was Ann Widdecombe and Why Is She Being Remembered?

Ann Widdecombe built a reputation over more than two decades in Parliament as one of Westminster’s most recognisable and plain-speaking figures. She represented Maidstone as its Member of Parliament for 23 years, serving as a Conservative minister before later becoming a spokeswoman for Reform UK. Beyond politics, she became a familiar face to television audiences through appearances on entertainment programmes, which introduced her to a generation who may never have followed her parliamentary career. Following news of her death, tributes began circulating from local government figures, former parliamentary colleagues and broadcasters who had worked alongside her over the years, each recalling a politician whose bluntness and humour left a lasting impression.

How Did Kent County Council Pay Tribute to Ann Widdecombe?

Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran was among the first to publicly mark Widdecombe’s death, issuing a statement praising her character and legacy. Speaking following the announcement, Kemkaran said:

“No one could match Ann Widdecombe for her sharp wit, warm humour, common sense, incredible insight and complete honesty. She was a force of nature and a national treasure.”

The tribute reflects the esteem in which Widdecombe was held locally, having represented the Maidstone constituency, which falls within Kent, for the majority of her political career.

What Did Sally-Ann Marks Say About Ann Widdecombe’s Character?

Sally-Ann Marks, the former chair of Widdecombe’s Conservative constituency association in Maidstone, offered a personal recollection of working alongside the politician. Marks described Widdecombe as a “one-off” and a “force to be reckoned with”, highlighting both her political presence and her personality away from the despatch box. Marks said Widdecombe “could have been a stand-up comedian”, adding:

“She was incredibly funny, knew how to hold the floor and certainly did.”

Marks also acknowledged political differences with Widdecombe, noting:

“I certainly didn’t agree with many of her views, but always listened to her.”

The comment underlines a recurring theme in tributes paid to Widdecombe: that even those who disagreed with her politics respected her willingness to speak plainly and hold an audience’s attention.

What Was Ann Widdecombe’s Political Career in Maidstone?

Widdecombe served as the Member of Parliament for Maidstone for 23 years, a tenure that saw her rise through the ranks of the Conservative Party to ministerial office. Her time in Parliament was marked by a series of high-profile moments, none more widely remembered than her 1997 description of then home secretary and fellow Kent MP Lord Michael Howard as having “something of the night about him.” The remark became one of the most quoted lines in modern British political history and has continued to define perceptions of both politicians decades later. Long after leaving the Conservative Party, Widdecombe went on to become a spokeswoman for Reform UK, extending her political career well beyond her original parliamentary tenure.

What Did Lord Michael Howard Say About Their Famous Fallout?

Following the announcement of Widdecombe’s death, Lord Howard, the former Conservative leader and MP for Folkestone and Hythe, spoke to BBC Radio Kent about his long and complicated relationship with Widdecombe. He confirmed that the pair had since made up following their infamous 1997 clash.

“She was formidable and she was a real character and she was a good minister, though we did have our fallout,”

Lord Howard said. His comments offered a rare public reflection from the man at the centre of one of the most memorable political putdowns in recent British history, and suggested that whatever tension existed between the two had long since been resolved.

Should Ann Widdecombe Have Become Prime Minister?

Discussion following Widdecombe’s death also turned to speculation about what heights her career might have reached. When put to him that Widdecombe should have become prime minister, Lord Howard offered a more measured assessment.

“I’m not sure that I would go as far as to agree with that,”

he said.

“I think you require many different qualities to be prime minister and I’m not sure that Ann had all of them.”

His comments stood in contrast to those of campaigner Howard Cox, who was more emphatic in his praise.

“She should have been prime minister, there’s no doubt about it,”

Cox said.

“She should have been the second female prime minister after Margaret Thatcher.”

The differing views illustrate the range of opinion that Widdecombe continued to attract, even in tributes following her death, with admirers and colleagues alike weighing her strengths against the demands of the country’s highest political office.

What Role Did Ann Widdecombe Play in Reform UK?

Widdecombe’s political journey did not end with her departure from the Conservative Party. She went on to become a spokeswoman for Reform UK, a move that saw her continue to command public attention long after her initial retirement from frontline Westminster politics. Her willingness to align herself with a newer political movement, after more than two decades as a Conservative MP, reflected the independence of thought that colleagues and commentators have repeatedly cited as one of her defining characteristics. Her agents confirmed her death on Friday morning, describing her at the time as a Conservative minister turned Reform UK spokeswoman, underlining how her political identity continued to evolve throughout her life.

How Is Ann Widdecombe Remembered for Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother?

Away from politics, Widdecombe became widely known to television audiences for her appearances on entertainment programmes, most notably BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and as a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018. Campaigner Howard Cox, who worked alongside Widdecombe, said her decision to appear on such programmes was not motivated by self-promotion.

“It wasn’t done for promotion of herself, far from it, she did it because she wanted to be in touch with people and she was a normal, decent person,”

Cox said. Reflecting on her time on Strictly Come Dancing, Cox was candid about her dancing ability while praising the impact she had on viewers.

“She was a lousy dancer, she would be the first person to say that and she would say it with a big smile on her face, but look how many people fell in love with her because of that,”

he said. Cox added:

“And that’s what she’s all about, she passionately cared about our country and she passionately cared about the people within our country and God there’s so many people that are going to miss her.”

What Did BBC Radio Kent’s Michael Keohan Recall About Ann Widdecombe?

Michael Keohan, BBC Radio Kent’s political reporter, shared his own recollections of dealing with Widdecombe over the years, describing a series of memorable exchanges.

“I was just rolling through the text messages for Ann Widdecombe where she was asking me to read the Riot Act to producers who had phoned her too early for a slot on the radio show,”

Keohan said. He went on to describe the dual nature of her public persona, noting:

“So her politics were both forthright but also colourful, and I have seen both sides of Ann Widdecombe through the years.”

His comments painted a picture of a politician who was as exacting in her professional dealings with broadcasters as she was in her political life, never shying away from making her expectations clear.
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How Did Ann Widdecombe’s Faith Shape Her Public Life?

Keohan also recalled a particularly memorable radio phone-in interview involving Widdecombe and the Archbishop of Canterbury during his time working at LBC. He explained that Widdecombe’s religious faith was central to her identity, but that this did not soften her approach even when speaking with senior clergy.

“Obviously Ann Widdecombe’s faith was important to her, but she read the Riot Act to the Archbishop of Canterbury,”

Keohan said. He added that her directness was consistent regardless of who she was addressing:

“Ann Widdecombe didn’t take prisoners no matter what part of life it was from. Ann Widdecombe didn’t look at levels or status in society, she looked at issues, be they controversial or not, but she certainly tackled them in that forthright way.”

The anecdote reinforced a wider theme running through the tributes paid to Widdecombe: an unwavering willingness to challenge anyone, regardless of position or authority, on matters she considered important.

What Has Been the Wider Reaction to Ann Widdecombe’s Death?

In the hours following the announcement of her death, tributes continued to emerge from politicians, former colleagues and members of the public who recalled her decades in the national spotlight. From Kent County Council’s description of her as a “national treasure” to former colleagues recalling her sharp wit and directness, the reaction reflected the breadth of Widdecombe’s public life, spanning frontline politics, television entertainment and religious commentary. Her 23 years representing Maidstone, her ministerial career, her later role with Reform UK, and her unexpected popularity as a reality television contestant combined to make her one of the most recognisable political figures of her generation. As tributes continue to be paid across Kent and beyond, Widdecombe is being remembered not only for her political record but for a personality that, by the accounts of those who knew her, rarely failed to leave an impression.