Her death was confirmed by her spokesperson on Friday morning - she was first elected to Parliament under Margaret Thatcher in 1987 before rising through the ranks06:34, 10 Jul 2026Updated 07:08, 10 Jul 2026Ann Widdecombe, the former MP and MEP who also featured on Strictly Come Dancing, has died aged 78.‌Widdecombe was a Conservative MP for Maidstone from 1987 until 2010, and later joined the Brexit Party in 2019. After the party was renamed Reform UK, she served as its Immigration and Justice spokesperson from 2023 until earlier this year.‌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.”Widdecombe was first elected to Parliament under Margaret Thatcher’s 1987 election victory, but rose the ranks of government under her successor, John Major. She was the prisons minister until the Tories lost to Tony Blair ’s New Labour landslide in 1997.After failing to become Conservative leader in 2001, she stayed in the public eye with prominent TV appearances. They included a Louis Theroux special in 2002 and a memorable run on BBC ’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, when she partnered with Anton Du Beke to survive nine weeks of competition.‌She teamed up with another Strictly figure — judge Craig Revel Horwood — for a stint at pantomime in 2011.By that point, it appeared Widdecombe’s political career was over: her attempt to become the Speaker of the House of Commons had been thwarted by John Bercow, and she stood down from Parliament at the 2010 general election.‌But Eurosceptic Widdecombe did not step back from politics after resigning as an MP. She campaigned for Vote Leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and left the Conservative Party in the following years.She joined the Brexit Party in 2019, winning a seat in the European Parliament the same year to represent her home area of south-west England, as she hailed from Bath originally.‌Widdecombe also stood in the 2019 general election, but came a distant third in the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport race to Labour’s Luke Pollard.In 2023, she confirmed she had joined Reform UK, and was the party’s Immigration and Justice spokesperson from 2023 until earlier this year.Tributes began pouring in to Widdecombe on Friday (July 10), with with Cloud9 Management, who represented her for more than a decade, saying she would be missed 'greatly'.‌It read: “Her life and career were driven by her strong Christian values and commitment to public service.“She loved the cut and thrust of political debate and, 16 years after leaving Parliament, was still actively campaigning for Reform UK and offering forthright views on the hot topics of the day across numerous radio and television programmes.“Ann was a valued patron of many causes, particularly her animal charities.‌“As Ann once said on The Graham Norton Show, ‘we get one go this side of eternity, one go. Life is not a dress rehearsal, you take opportunities that you like and you go for it, that’s my philosophy’.“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.“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.”‌Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice revealed he 'spoke to her at length on Monday'. He continued: "Utterly devastating. She was a true legend. She was a fantastic person to work with."Whether you loved her views or not, she had a clear view, and she argued it. She was an incredible orator, she had the audience absolutely spellbound. She was utterly fearless."I'm not sure they make them like that any more. We will miss her terribly."‌He recalled to broadcasters: "She was a dancer extraordinaire on [Strictly] Come Dancing. Bruce Forsyth I think was genuinely concerned she might usurp him!"She was on multiple pantos, she was adored by the nation. Whether you liked her politics or not, what people loved was her conviction."The party's Mayor for Greater Lincolnshire, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, said: "Rest in peace, Ann Widdecombe. A true political titan who served her country as an MP, Minister, and MEP with unwavering devotion to her principles.‌"She was a giant of public life, completely unapologetic in her views, and a one-of-a-kind character who left an indelible mark on Westminster and beyond. She will be greatly missed."Durham County Council deputy leader Darren Grimes added: "Ann Widdecombe is gone, and Britain is smaller for it this morning."She went into politics to serve, not to be served, and working people trusted her because she never talked down to them. She was one of us. May she rest in peace and rise in glory."Article continues belowReform's Staffordshire County Council leader, Martin Murray, added: "I had the pleasure of meeting Ann on several occasions over the years, in various roles. A true powerhouse and honourable lady who stood for what she believed."