Joshua Kerry, 28, is charged with the murder of former Conservative MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe – he appeared in court for the first time earlier this week
Ann Widdecombe’s family have announced plans for a public memorial later this year – days after her alleged killer appeared in court for the first time.
The former Conservative minister, MP, and Reform UK spokesperson, 78, was found dead at her remote home of Widdecombe’s Rest’ in Haytor, on Dartmoor in Devon, on July 9. She suffered ‘blunt force injuries to the head’, a court heard.
Her family announced on Thursday (July 23) that a public memorial will be held in the coming weeks for Miss Widdecombe, after she is first laid to rest in a private service.
In a statement, her family said: “We understand that there is significant public interest in the funeral of Ann Widdecombe. 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.”
The man charged with murdering Miss Widdecombe appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday (July 21). Joshua Kerry, from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, allegedly killed her with a hammer.
Prosecutors say on July 8, Miss Widdecombe had been eating lunch when Kerry, 28, allegedly pulled up outside the front of her bungalow in a red Vauxhall Corsa, driven several hundred miles from Rotherham, and entered through the front door.
Kerry then allegedly used a hammer to hit Miss Widdecombe on the top of her head 21 times, the Old Bailey heard on Tuesday. Detectives are still investigating any possible political or terrorist motivation.
Miss Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, rising the ranks to become prisons minister in the 1990s. After unsuccessfully attempting to lead the Conservative Party and become Speaker of the House of Commons, she stepped down as an MP in 2010.
A television career followed as she surprised viewers on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother, also performing in multiple pantomimes.
She returned to politics in 2019, winning a European Parliament seat to become an MEP for the Brexit Party. From 2023 onwards, she was Reform UK’s immigration and justice spokesperson.
Her death provoked an outpouring of grief from politicians across the ideological divide. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “This was an appalling act of violence against someone who has contributed so much to our national life. My thoughts go out to Ann’s friends and family and all who loved her.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Ann Widdecombe was an extraordinary woman, without doubt the best known female politician in Britain since Margaret Thatcher.
“Ann never, ever sought popularity. She stood up and fought for what she believed in.”
