Ann Widdecombe public memorial to be held later this year, family says

A public memorial for Ann Widdecombe will be held later this year, her family has said in a statement.

Former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Widdecombe, 78, was found dead in her Dartmoor home with serious head injuries earlier this month.

Her family thanked the public for "the wide expression of condolences" but asked that her private service, to be held in the coming weeks and for which invitations have already been sent, is "limited to those closest to Ann".

"We understand that there is significant public interest in the funeral of Ann Widdecombe," the statement said.

"A private service for family and close friends will be held in the coming weeks, and invitations for this ceremony have been distributed.

"A more public memorial will follow later in the year, the details of which will be released in due course.

"While we are very grateful for the wide expression of condolences, the family would ask that this initial service is limited to those closest to Ann."

Tributes poured in to Widdecombe from TV stars and across the political spectrum following her death.

Anton Du Beke, who was her partner on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, said he was devastated , which he called the "saddest of news".

"I had the most brilliant time with Ann on Strictly Come Dancing, she became a real friend, she was fun, she was upbeat, she was positive, she was supportive, she was game, wanted to enter into the spirit of the whole thing," he said in a video on X.

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party for which Widdecombe served as shadow home secretary from 1999 to 2001, said the party was "reeling".

She described Widdecombe as "a very fun and feisty woman who spoke her mind", while the then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Widdecombe was a "distinguished politician".

In a video posted on social media, Farage said Widdecombe was "an extraordinary woman" and "someone who gave her life to public service, to fighting for the things she believed in".

He described her as "a devout Christian and somebody with strong socially conservative views. Perhaps not popular in modern Britain but that is what Ann believed in".

Widdecombe's career in politics spanned decades.

She served as Conservative MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years and was appointed to ministerial roles in Sir John Major's government in the 1990s.

Following her departure from the Commons, Widdecombe appeared on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and was a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother eight years later.

She later represented South West England as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Brexit Party and in 2023 she joined Reform UK as a party spokeswoman.

Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old man from South Yorkshire, was charged with her murder on Monday night following an investigation led by counter-terrorism detectives.

A provisional trial date has been listed for 8 June 2027.