Anne Widdecombe has died

It was the shackling of female prisoners that is the stand out thing for me. I never forgot it and can’t forgive or forget something like that especially from someone that makes a point of being religious.

Barbadosbelle

MaizieD

Good call. Best not to "flower' your comments with hyperbole!!!
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I’ve literally never read any comment from MazieD which “flowers her comments with hyperbole”

Maybe I should be asking you about your water supply??

Barbadosbelle

Cossy

Was there something in your water supply?!
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I’m sorry? What does that even mean please?

nanna8

By all accounts she was a kind and thoughtful person whether you agreed with her politics or not.

Her stance on the gay community went way beyond politics, I’m not sure any kind of thoughtful person would want anyone subjected to conversion therapy.

She was an extremely hard working, well educated and professional person. She may well have been kind and thoughtful to “some people”, but I’m afraid I don’t feel her attitudes to some groups of people don’t really gel with my views of Christianity.

She achieved a lots in her professional life and was a great Tory MP, however my views of her changed when she defected to the Brexit Party, then Reform and was much more outspoken on her views of gay people and abortion and I certainly didn’t agree that non violent pregnant female prisoners should be shackled when having hospital check ups and in the early stages of labour. She supported this on more than one occasion. I can only think that some of her views and beliefs came from her own lived, or rather non-lived, experiences, ie single, few if any sexual experiences, no children.

MaizieD

Good call. Best not to "flower' your comments with hyperbole!!!
.

Cossy

Was there something in your water supply?!
.

By all accounts she was a kind and thoughtful person whether you agreed with her politics or not.

RIP. She had the kind of personality that is now extinct in public life.

I liked her no nonsense style.

She presented the prizes at DD3's last Speech Day. She had a lovely chat with every child receiving a prize and in her speech she pointed out that she was really well educated - having been to Oxford and/or Cambridge -and was now a lowly minister but John Major had left school at 16 and was now Prime Minister and, therefore, anything is possible.

Despite her very right-wing views on most subjects, oddly enough she voted to ban hunting with dogs. I can't say I agreed with her opinions and remember when she and other Brexiteers turned their backs in the EU Parliament when the Ode to Joy was being played. (If I've misremembered this, please correct me). I wonder what she felt about the appointment of a woman as Archbishop of Canterbury, given her views on female ordination.

You are entitled to your opinion mrsmeldrew but why just say dreadful woman. Explain why as that statement has no relevance.

eazybee

I liked and admired Anne Widdecombe.
Highly intelligent, very hard worker, mistress of the riposte, a great deal of common sense tempered with sympathy, and the ability to laugh at herself.
I remember her saying when asked why she had decided to join Strictly, that all her life she had been responsible for or to a position; now she was retired she was going to have some fun, and I hope she enjoyed it.
A life well spent..

Exactly this…
RIP Anne

A dreadful woman.

Ilovecheese

I can't admire someone who thought women prisoners should give birth in handcuffs.

Indeed - some of her views were directly in conflict with her professed christian ethics.

I admire people who are principled, but where that involves damning whole groups of decent people (gay people for instance) my admiration drains away somewhat rapidly.

I think she was sheltered from the realities of how some people have had to live their lives and her pronouncements were based on this lack of understanding. She took shelter in rigid thinking. I cannot admire that.

It is sad when anyone dies - well, perhaps not anyone! - and presumably her family will be sad.

Ilovecheese

I can't admire someone who thought women prisoners should give birth in handcuffs.

Absolute nonsense! She was totally clear that once women prisoners were in labour they should not be handcuffed.

Padstpw13

If you think Catholics are misogynistic
I suggest you read up on Islam, it makes us look incredibly progressive.

RIP Ann, her Strictly days with Anton will never be forgotten. I was shocked to read of her death today, I wonder if it was unexpected?

rafichagran

I am watching Jeremy Vine. The tributes have come from people in all walks of life.
She will, in my opinion be sadly missed. Honesty, humorous, straightforward, and no fear to say what she believed. Qualities to be admired I my opinion. My partner detests her. I have told him to show respect.

Your partner is simply not being a hypocrite.

It’s always sad for the family when someone dies and she wasn’t really that old.

However, I don’t go for the “don’t speak ill of dead” belief, if you don’t admire someone in life, it’s not really disrespectful to maintain that view in their death.

Unless, of course it’s a close friend or family member.

I am watching Jeremy Vine. The tributes have come from people in all walks of life.
She will, in my opinion be sadly missed. Honesty, humorous, straightforward, and no fear to say what she believed. Qualities to be admired I my opinion. My partner detests her. I have told him to show respect.

Didn't she suddenly get very thin? I always worry when I notice sudden weight loss although nowadays some rich people take weight loss drugs.

She was interesting on talk shows with her no nonsense views. RIP

Sago

Padstow13

Ah, yes - quite infamously converted to Roman Catholicism as a protest against the ordination of women priests by the Anglican Church.

Says it all.

What does “says it all” mean to you?

To me it means a woman of strong principle.

Strong principles alright - dictated to her by one of the most ultra-mysoginistic religious organisations ever known.

That is exactly what 'says it all' means.

And, incidentally, I was previously an RC for several decades of my life. I'd call them 'The Blind Years".

I can't admire someone who thought women prisoners should give birth in handcuffs.

Wasn’t there a thread on naming strong women?
She would be near the top of my list for sure.
Loved her on that show about the family that didn’t work. She gave them short shrift 😳

Why is It infamous to convert to Catholicism? To stay within a section of Christianity that you don't agree with would surely be hypocrisy?! I'm afraid Anne was one of a dying breed of politicians the like of which we see more and more rarely. The hypocritical, ambitious sleazebags we see today in all political parties quite frankly don't even begin to compare with Anne. A sad day inded.

ronib

People who kill foetuses sicken me unless there are very strong medical reasons.

That’s your view and you’re perfectly entitled to it.

In my humble opinion, using your political and personal fame to spread your rhetoric about both gay people and abortion is not a great thing to do.

I believe women should be able to make decisions regarding their own bodies and pregnancies.

Incest, rape, and very young child pregnancies are not medical issues, yet are very good reasons for seeking abortions.

Bringing unplanned/unwanted babies into our world is not always the right thing to do.

She also believed in conversion therapy, with two gay daughters and a gay niece and nephew it’s quite clear I’d never ever support this barbaric therapy.

Sorry!

I do wish RIP to AW and her family. I won’t be a total hypocrite and pretend I admired her, I didn’t.