Ann Widdecombe’s Death Is ‘Appalling And Shocking’ | Jacob Rees-Mogg

I mean, it is deeply, deeply shocking.Any 70 -year -old lady who is murdered in a brutal way is shocking.It's extremely rare in this country that the elderly get bash to death but for it to happen to somebody of such a high profile really does raise questions about the safety of this country.

I mean just to reinforce you know they've opened a murder investigation we you know we don't know any details as yet.Well now first this afternoon police have launched a murder investigation into the death of former MP Anne Widdicombe.Let's hear now for the very latest from Fiona Hamilton who's chief news reporter at the Times.Fiona shocking news bring us up to date on it.

So there's going to be a press conference in about the next half an hour or so brought by Devon and Cornwall police.They've announced a murder inquiry into the circumstances of Anne Whittakin's death.It was, of course, announced this morning that she had died yesterday.There was no suggestion initially of anything other than natural causes when her agent put out a release.And so this afternoon, this news has broken.It's quite a shock, really, that specially trained officers are combing through her property.

there is a manhunt for a white male that they say is believed to be responsible.

Yeah, and we've had a statement from the police, haven't we?Detective Chief Inspector Ilona Rosson saying it's an extremely tragic incident and thoughts very much with the family and friends of Anne Whittacombe at this difficult time.As you say, we're going to be getting an update shortly and we'll obviously bring you that live.But Fiona, what else have police said so far?

So officers are conducting door -to -door inquiries and combing the local area to look for evidence at the moment.And they've specifically asked for anybody who may have seen anything suspicious in the vicinity of Anne Whittacombe's home to come forward.And they're also asking for anybody who might have CCTV, dash cam, ring doorbell,in the area of her property, in the surrounding area, which is a village of Dartmoor.

Yeah, and the area remains cordoned off, doesn't it?And they've also appealed to people not to speculate about what might have happened on social media, haven't they?

Yeah, that's right.Well, the inquiry is at its early stages, and that's a pretty standard thing for the police to say, please don't speculate while we try and get on with our jobs.Hopefully, they'll give a bit more information at this press conference and take some questions because, of course, this is a really huge news story.And unfortunately, as we see, it's quite hard to stop the social media train when it gets going.

And of course, you know, this is at its very early stages, as you said, but there is a significant police presence in the area today, the police have said, haven't they?

Yes, that's right.They've got a lot of officers deployed.We might get exact numbers later.There's clearly a major investigation that's going on.

Fiona, I'll let you get off to research your story for The Times, but thank you very much for bringing us up to date with that.

No problem, thank you.

That was Fiona Hamilton, Chief News Reporter at The Times, and we'll bring you anything more we hear from the police as and when we have it, so do stay tuned for that.Police have launched a murder investigation into the death of the former Conservative MP and MEP Anne Whittacombe.She was found dead in her Devon home today at the age of 78.The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has called the circumstances around her death extremely distressing.The leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch, has been reacting to the news.

I've been stunned to hear this awful news.To be honest, I've really struggled to find the words to say.Anne Whittacombe was a very fun and feisty woman who spoke her mind.She was 78 years old.She was an elderly woman.I don't understand how someone could do something so horrible.

stunned as we are, and I extend my condolences to Nigel Farage and everyone in reform on behalf of the Conservative Party, because we've both lost a friend.

In her last interview on Talk TV this week, Anne came out strongly in support of Nigel Farage and his decision to call a by -election in Clacton.

Nigel is challenging that establishment, and he's called this the establishment versus the people, and I think that just about sums it up.I'm delighted that he's taken this because the attitude previously of politicians was that you just had to endure it.You gritted your teeth.And if you were being subject to fame after fame after fame, it wouldn't go away.You just carried on until your position became untenable.He's taking, and I drew the analogy with policy decisions earlier, he has taken this decision because he wants an end one way or the other.

And he's right to do this.

Well, that was Anne Whittacombe speaking in her last interview on Talk TV this week.Let's hear now from Jacob Rees -Mogg, who's a former Conservative Cabinet Minister who's on the line.Good afternoon, Jacob.Good afternoon.Jacob, this is truly shocking news, isn't it?I just wanted to get your reaction to that news that the police have now opened a murder investigation.

Well, it's appalling and shocking.I agree with Kemi.It's very hard to find the right words.Anne was 78, but I'd seen her not that long ago and she seemed very well, so when I heard the news I was very surprised.But to hear this is just unbelievable, that somebody could possibly have attacked Anne and killed her.I mean, it is deeply, deeply shocking.

And you know there is a kind of you know a toxic mood around politics at the moment without any kind of speculation you know police investigation is underway of course but just describe the mood at the moment and the troubling nature of that.

Well, we'll have to find out what the cause behind this was, whether it is anything to do with politics or whether it is just a dangerous man assuming that the allegation that's been made about the man who's being looked for is true.I think it's too early to draw any conclusions on what has happened because we simply don't know the circumstances.I would say though that If it turns out that this was a politically motivated attack that changes my view that I've always thought this country was very safe and that we could be pretty relaxed about the security of politicians.If it turns out this politically motivated attack then obviously I would be wrong.

Well let me just ask you about you know when you last spoke to Anne Whittacombe and and you know what your impressions were when you did have that conversation?

Well, I last saw Anne actually at a book launch of Tony Abbott's book at the Prosperity Institute.

The former Australian Premier.

The former Australian Premier, that's right.And Anne was as always full of beans.She was the most wonderful person to meet because she always said what she thought.She held her views strongly.She was such fun to talk to because if you said something she disagreed with, she didn't just say, I disagree.She'd say, that was a very silly thing to say.

You know, she was such fun, so lively.and had very strong principles.People often say politicians are all the same and grey and so on, Anne definitely wasn't that.She had her own views, she stuck to her principles.If her principles made her political career harder on some occasions, that didn't stop her.I think she was a model of what politicians ought to be, thoughtful, outspoken and principled.

And can you remember an encounter that you had with her where she might have told you that you were wrong over something and how that summed up her personality that you've just described?

Well I saw her, I was at the Reform Party conference last year.doing an event and she was there because obviously she'd joined Reform and I was talking about how the right should unite.She thought this was about the most idiotic thing anybody could suggest and she told me so very clearly.But we always got on extremely well.I'd known her a very long time because when she converted to Catholicism she and I went to the same church in London when I was in London and so I used to see her there with my father going back to the early 1990s and so she's somebody I always enjoyed seeing her and disagreeing with her was great fun actually.

And I wonder whether her faith, you know, like yours gave her a sort of armour, a sort of bravery because I remember she once said all I do is what I think is right and leave the rest to God.Did that allow her to be outspoken and sort of not really mind about the consequences do you think?

Well when initially thinking about the sad news of her death it's worth remembering that it's sad for her friends and sad for her family, but eternal life is a great blessing.And that as a Catholic, she will have been thinking of death not as an end, but as a beginning, as the chance for the next life, for the next life.resurrection that we're all promised.And I think her faith was of fundamental importance to her.And yes, I agree, it gave her great courage and strength.

And do you think, do you find that comforting now?You know, I can tell from your voice, you're obviously deeply shocked by this news.Do you find it comforting to think that she would have been comforted by that, by her faith?

Oh, I'm sure that Anne would have gone to her death with great courage, because she would have recognized that her faith was so much part of her.And death for a Catholic is not something to be frightened of.It is something that leads to the glories ultimately of the resurrection.And so I'm sure she wouldn't have been frightened of death, but Catholics pray that they should have a provided death, which is the section of the sacraments and extreme unction at the end.Now, from what it appears, she wouldn't have had that opportunity and that is very sad.

Yeah, I mean that really does, you know, the violence of this act and this death, it is really, would have been very troubling for someone of faith and anyone really, but particularly someone of faith.

It is deeply, deeply shocking.Any 70 -year -old lady who is murdered in a brutal way is shocking.It's extremely rare in this country that the elderly get bashed to death.But for it to happen to somebody of such a high profile really does raise questions about the safety of this country.

I mean, just to reinforce, you know, they've opened a murder investigation.

We, you know, we don't know any details as yet.

Let me just read you a line from the, there was a really lovely Times obituary of her, which I just want to quote to you.She said, I'm toothy, dumpy, ugly, overweight and a spinster, but what the hell?And I just wonder, so many politicians weigh every word and they think about how people will view them and that sort of almost inhibits them.She wasn't like that, was she?

No, Anne was a force of nature.and it was absolutely wonderful and actually she was wonderfully attractive that she did herself down.She had an attraction because of her charisma, of her force of personality and I think she was unduly modest about her attraction as a person and as a spirit.

Nevertheless, her reinvention as a reality TV star was pretty unexpected, wasn't it?Were you gobsmacked by that?And, you know, her ability to send herself up on Strictly?

Well, I did speak to her about that, actually.She came to speak for me when I was very first selected in North East Somerset and discussed with her what she was doing.And she said, well, I've left politics now, it's different.And that when she was in politics, she wouldn't have done those sorts of things.But that, life has stages.I think she called her house Widdicombe's rest, indicating not just that she'd retired from politics but there was more to do, the rest of what she was going to do.

And I think that gives hope for all the rest of us when we leave politics either voluntarily or by the will of the voters.

You heard that clip we played where she defended Nigel Farage triggering the by -election.Unlike you, she defected to the Brexit Party and then the Reform Party.Do you think she would have relished watching Nigel Farage taking on Count Binface?

She was very supportive of Nigel as she was saying in that clip and I think she would have had some strong views about how this campaign was going and would have been backing Nigel thoroughly.I think he's made a mistake but I think that Anne would have been fully behind him and would almost certainly have been on the doorsteps in Clacton.Birkingham.

And you know we did actually speak earlier in the week on my Sky show and you said that you thought Nigel Farage was in trouble over his wealthy benefactor before he triggered his by -election.You are a friend of his, what's your advice to him now?over all this?

all happening now, so any advice is fairly atios.He's got to make sure he wins the election and doesn't lose to Count Vinface, which is a slim risk, but nonetheless a risk.And then he's got to try and deal with these allegations that are coming thick and fast.I mean, I think he ought to have waited until the report had come out and then had a by -election rather than trying to pre -empt it, because this doesn't pre -empt anything.He needs to make sure that he associates with people of good reputation, not of dubious reputation.I would not recommend he carries on being involved with posh George.

But you think he actually could seriously lose to Count Binfoeth?

The British voter doesn't like being taken for granted and has a great sense of humor.I mean, I loved it when they voted for Boaty McBoatface, which upset all the officials and the grand people.And they may feel that Captain Binface is the Boaty McBoatface equivalent.I hope you read the Times Diary today, because a little note that subject to an act of 1313, you are not allowed to wear armor in the House of Commons, so you will have to change his dress if you get selected.

I did and you got a name check in that, that was a brace.

He will have to take his helmet off.I passed it on to Jack because it amused me.It's still the law of the land, it's one of the older acts that's still in force.

You've outed yourself as a source.Jacob, thank you very much for going on.

No, thank you and let's pray for the repose of the soul of Anne.

Well, thank you for sharing your recollections of her.I'm sure she would have much appreciated your thoughts on her.Thank you.

Thank you.Goodbye.

That was Jacob Rees -Mogg, former Conservative Cabinet Minister, remembering Anne Widdicombe, and we will bring you that news of the police press conference as soon as we have it.