A public memorial service to celebrate the life of Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman, is set to be held later this year. Her family announced the plans in a statement, expressing gratitude for the widespread condolences received following her death earlier this month. The public event will allow a broader range of well-wishers to pay their respects, with details to be released in due course.
Before the public memorial, a private funeral service for family and close friends will take place in the coming weeks. Invitations for this initial ceremony have already been distributed. Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her Dartmoor home with serious head injuries. The family's statement acknowledged significant public interest in the funeral but requested that the private service be limited to those closest to her.
Tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum and the entertainment world since her passing. Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, for whom Widdecombe served as Shadow Home Secretary from 1999 to 2001, described her as a "very fun and feisty woman who spoke her mind." Sir Keir Starmer, the then-Prime Minister, also called her a "distinguished politician." Nigel Farage, who worked with Widdecombe in the Brexit Party, referred to her as an "extraordinary woman" dedicated to public service and her strong socially conservative views.
Widdecombe's extensive career in public life spanned decades. She served as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years, holding ministerial roles in Sir John Major's government during the 1990s. After leaving the House of Commons, she gained further public recognition through appearances on television programmes such as BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and as a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother eight years later. She later returned to politics, representing South West England as a Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party, and in 2023, she joined Reform UK as a party spokeswoman.
The announcement of memorial plans comes after Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old man from South Yorkshire, was charged with her murder on Monday night. The charges followed an investigation led by counter-terrorism detectives. A provisional trial date for Mr Kerry has been listed for 8 June 2027, as legal proceedings continue in the case.