Speaker’s Statement

Colleagues, before we begin today, I would like to pay tribute to Ann Widdecombe, who died in tragic, deeply troubling circumstances last week. Ann was a formidable politician and a prominent figure in public life. She was the Member of Parliament for Maidstone for 27 years, holding a number of ministerial posts in the 1990s. Ann was fierce and enjoyed robust political debate. Whether you agreed with her or not, she was principled, spoke her mind and was true to her beliefs, which were informed by her Christian faith. Ann was a close friend to David Amess, who was murdered in 2021, and both were fellow animal lovers. In the light of the ongoing police investigation, I urge Members to take care not to say anything in this House that might prejudice a future trial. I will set out more on that in advance of the Home Secretary’s statement later. For now, we are thinking of Ann. On a personal level, Casa Pizza in Kennington in Lambeth is where I spent a lot of time in the evening, sharing a pizza with the one and only Ann Widdecombe. She was a friend in many ways; politically, we may not have agreed, but she was without doubt a courageous, principled politician, and all of our thoughts are with her family and friends.