Latest news with #Widdecombe
Spectator
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Why are today's MPs so incredibly drab?
Current MPs in Britain seem, at times, a drab and depressing bunch. 'The quality of parliamentarian,' Ann Widdecombe said on a recent podcast, 'is the lowest I can ever remember.' It was not just the reluctance most sensible people feel about exposing themselves to such overwhelming and intrusive media focus, she explained, that was putting better candidates off. It was also down to the identity-driven shortlists all three main parties have embraced in the past few decades. 'They began to select on identity rather than merit,' Widdecombe pointed out – adding that if you do that 'for a quarter-century odd, then it's going to have an impact on the quality of people in parliament.' As a new political play, the 'Gang of Three', opens at the King's Head theatre in London, about the relationship between Denis Healey, Roy Jenkins and Tony Crosland – three Labour MPs from the past who were anything but dull – the gap between now and then seems painfully wide.
The Independent
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ann Widddecombe says she is not ‘teaming up with any losers' in dig at Tories and Robert Jenrick
Reform UK's Ann Widddecome says she is not 'teaming up with any losers' in a dig at the Conservatives and senior MP Robert Jenrick. Ms Widdecombe's comments, made during an interview with Times Radio on Wednesday (23 April), come after Mr Jenrick said he would bring a 'coalition together' in order to end the electoral battle between the Reform and the Tories. When asked by Daniel Finkelstein if she would 'team up' with Mr Jenrick, Ms Widdecombe replied: 'Absolutely not. I'm not teaming up with any losers. Reform is winning. Reform is at the top of the polls.'
