One of the more distinctive figures of recent British public life has died. According to the account, Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative MP and MEP who became widely recognised well beyond politics, has died at the age of 78, a piece of news that was carried as a breaking development during the day.
Widdecombe built her name over a long career in Parliament. According to the account, she served as a Member of Parliament and later as a Member of the European Parliament before retiring from Westminster at the 2010 general election, closing that chapter of her political life after years in frontline politics.
Her departure from Westminster did not mean she left public view. According to the account, in October the following year she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, the popular television programme, where she was partnered with the professional dancer Anton Du Beke and took part in the competition in front of a large national audience.
It was on that show that she produced one of her most memorable television moments. According to the account, Widdecombe became famous for being dragged along the ballroom floor during one of her routines, an image that came to symbolise the light-hearted, crowd-pleasing side of her stint on the programme.
Away from television, she remained active in politics and continued to shift the ground she stood on. According to the account, she became a member of the Brexit Party in 2019, signalling a move away from the Conservative Party with which she had long been associated during her years in Parliament.
In more recent years, she aligned herself with a newer political force. According to the account, Widdecombe went on to associate herself with Reform UK, remaining a recognisable presence in public debate and keeping a foot in political life right through the later stages of her career.