I disagreed with Ann Widdecombe on almost everything. Most fundamentally, I profoundly opposed her views anti the rights of LGBT+ people, which I regarded as illiberal and deeply hurtful.
Yet politics is rarely as simple as agreement and disagreement.
I first interacted with Ann Widdecombe twenty years ago when she was a Tory MP and I was a local radio reporter in the Midlands and I interviewed her down the line about an event she was due to be attending at Coventry Cathedral. More recently, I had the pleasure (and, I’ll admit, slight dread) of debating her live on GB News this past April. On neither occasion did we see the world through the same political lens, but I respected her who someone who held her values and principles deeply (as I do mine).
She held strong views and expressed them forcefully, but it was rarely if ever personal. We argued our respective cases and then moved on as human beings. There is a lesson in that, one which seek to give voice to in the podcast I co-host (with a former Tory advisor), Political Frenemies, where we debate robustly but remain friends at the end. That is how our politics should always be.
As I said on GB News earlier today, Ann Widdecombe was that rare and very special thing in politics: authentic. Utterly herself. She said what she meant, and she meant what she said. Whether you agreed with her or not, there was never any doubt that she believed every word. No ducking and weaving needed, like other politicians, to get through the day or the latest media interview.
At a time when our politics can feel increasingly performative, over-managed and tribal, that authenticity stood out. I respected it, even when I fundamentally rejected the conclusions to which it led her. To think that her life has allegedly been taken by another is beyond horrifying. It is a tragedy that transcends politics and demands our shared humanity.
My thoughts and prayers are with Ann Widdecombe’s family, her many friends and all those mourning her.
Rest in power.
Four years on, still fighting for Mum
Yesterday marked four years since my beloved mum, Jackie, died, just two days after waiting eleven agonising hours for an ambulance following a fall at home. Those long hours, watching the person I loved most in the world, in pain and without dignity while desperately waiting for help, will stay with me forever.
Since then, I’ve tried to channel grief into purpose. Whether through my writing, media appearances, campaigning with Just Treatment or speaking to politicians, I’ve sought to make the case for a better funded (up to the European average), genuinely public NHS that is there for everyone when they need it most.
No family should have to endure what ours did. No patient should wonder whether help is ever going to come.
I campaign not out of bitterness, but out of love. I do it in my dear mum’s memory, and in the hope that one day no other family will have to tell a story like ours.
Come on, England!
I’ll be cheering England on in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final with Argentina, even though I’m not really a football man.
Moments like these bring people together and give the country something to smile about.
Good luck to the Three Lions – I’ll be hoping they can take one more step towards glory.
* Mathew Hulbert is a former Councillor, is a regular commentator on TV and Radio, and is Co-Host of the Political Frenemies podcast.
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6 Comments
Really nice piece. Thanks. Comments re Anne Widdecombe are a refreshing change from social media. Those who knew her seemed to really like her. Sorry to hear about your Mother.
Dear Mathew, You have been 100% successful in paying tribute to your Mum with your recent work. Thank you for raising the issue of UTI where the risks for all women, especially older women, are hugely underestimated ❤️
This is an insightful article. The tragic death of Ann Widdecombe came as a massive shock to many of us. She was a deeply devout Catholic who admirably stayed true to her faith. She was also a dedicated animal lover, notably one of the few Conservative ministers who opposed fox hunting—a ban supported across the political spectrum and a cause close to my heart.
In an era when social media hate speech often rules political discourse, it is refreshing to see politicians respecting the views of others and disagreeing amicably.
I still have a signed letter from her during her time as Shadow Home Secretary, July 2000. I wrote to her regarding football hooliganism, and she listed several acts of Parliament the Conservatives had introduced, such as the Football Offences Act 1991. At the time, this created a new criminal offence for racist or indecent chanting at football matches. It was quite an achievement back then, and these protections have since been extended to include homophobia and other forms of hate speech.
“The tragic death of Ann Widdecombe came as a massive shock to many of us”
Indeed, but perhaps we might remember that murdering polititians is not new.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_MPs_killed_in_office
And apart from MPs perhaps we might remember Andrew Pennington who gave his life defending our then MP Nigel Jones who was attacked in his office.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Pennington
I wonder if the reaction to Anne Widdecombe’s horrible passing is a test of each individual’s privilege? To those unaffected by her political views, she was a skilled and enthusiastic conversationalist, a politician grounded in her beliefs rather than playing the game of politics and a big character who will be missed. But to others she was a religious extremist who if she was more successful would have left minorities and vulnerable people at much greater risk of harm. Regardless, it doesn’t matter if it’s Anne or Jan or any other name, no one should have the experience she did in having her life taken from her. It’s very sad and my condolences to her family and loved ones.
Regarding the football, keep politics out of football so say MP Peter Kyle meanwhile Starmer, Davey and others are determined to have their moment talking about the national game. Argentina won, yet again they proved they’re bad winners (Bellingham proving again he’s a bad loser) and them holding a banner has no significant impact on future of the Falklands. FIFA will issue a punishment which won’t be significant, but is there really need for this to be lead story in tonight’s news? There was a Channel 4 show earlier in the year about how Trump not only is closely associated with WWE professional wrestling but has made politics closer to that world. Is this an example of Starmer etc. doing the same?
Right-wing media apparatchik Allison Pearson has attacked Kemi Badenoch’s call for a televised debate between FaЯage and Count Binface as disrespectful to Ann Widdecombe. Pearson seems to be trying to weaponise the murder of Ann Widdecombe the way the American right weaponised the murder of Charlie Kirk, by implying that any vocal opposition to their creed is disrespectful to the murder victim, however tenuous the connection of the comments to the victim.
Not that I think such a debate would make sense — why have a national hustings for an election for a small part of the country? But that American playbook wouldn’t work in the UK, because UK voters (unlike US voters) tend not to be openly partisan. If anything it has backfired, leading to support for Badenoch from those who otherwise would not support her.
I’m relieved that Ann Widdecombe was no longer an elected representative, so we don’t have to put up with the Westminster bubble’s absurd navel-gazing about whether to stand a candidate in the resulting by-election. Respect is personal and nothing to do with party affiliation. Ann Widdecombe is said to be someone with whom one could disagree respectfully. This is more than can be said for some politicians.