Ann Widdecombe was a steadfast figure of substance in Conservative politics at a time when the party itself was moving away from her. She stood out as one of the first genuine politicians to truly thrive in the post-mainstream media ; unfiltered, direct, and unafraid. RIP
Whether it was Dennis Skinner or Norman Tebbit, Tony Benn or Anne Widdecombe, some part of the rise of populism can be attributed to the disappearance from parliament of people who were highly abrasive but unfailingly sincere.