Ann Widdecombe, the former MP, MEP and champion of Brexit, has died aged 78, her representatives have said.

Widdecombe served as the Conservative MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years, representing the constituency from 1987 until 2010.

She was appointed prisons minister under Prime Minister John Major, serving in the role from 1995 to 1997.

After leaving the Conservative Party, Widdecombe joined the Brexit Party in 2019 before becoming a supporter of Reform UK in 2023. Most recently, she served as the party's justice and immigration adviser.

Away from politics, Widdecombe became a household name after competing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, winning over many viewers despite consistently receiving low scores from the judges.

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