A lively and engaging personality, Ann Widdecombe’ s impressive speaking skills make her an excellent choice for the next Sporting & Dining Club dinner on 30 January 2014.
The former MP & Shadow Home Secretary and star of Strictly Come Dancing, is in considerable demand as a guest speaker and is invited to speak at a wide variety of events including lunches and dinners, and is frequently invited to take part in "question and answer" sessions and debates.
Widely admired and respected for her upfront approach and straightforward style, Ann has enjoyed participating in various television programmes including her own prime time BBC2 show Ann Widdecombe to the Rescue. She has also been seen in Call My Bluff, Countdown, Grumpy Old Women, Celebrity Fit Club and Nothing But the Truth. Recently she delighted audiences with her weekly performances (with dance partner Anton Du Beke) on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Ann Widdecombe was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Maidstone (now Maidstone and The Weald) from 1987 to 2010. One of the most forthright (she is an outspoken critic of Fox Hunting and Abortion) and respected Members of Parliament, she was Shadow Home Affairs Spokesperson, Minister of State for Employment and Minister of State at the Home Office.
Educated at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, she began her career working for Unilever (1973-75) before moving to become a senior administrator at the University of London from 1975-87. She contested the seat of Burnley in 1979 and Plymouth Devonport in 1983.
Her political career includes:
Nov 1990 PPS to Tristan Garel-Jones
1990-93 Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the DSS
1993-94 Department of Employment
1994-95 Minister of State at the Department of Employment
1995-97 Minister of State at the Home Office.
In July 1997 Ann was appointed to the Standards and Privileges House of Commons Select Committee. In June 1998 she was appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Health and in June 1999 she was appointed Shadow Home Secretary. In July 2001 Ann announced her decision to retire from the Shadow Cabinet and recently confirmed that she would be retiring at the next General Election, ending a long-standing political career.
Ann is a best-selling novelist. Her first novel The Clematis Tree was published in 2000. Since then, she has written a further three novels – An Act of Treachery, Father Figure and An Act of Peace. Ann's autobiography is now in the shops and on kindle. Humorous and informative it covers her life from her childhood in Singapore through politics to Strictly Come Dancing.
Ann has a strong reputation in the print media, mainly as a columnist for several newspapers including the Daily Express.
During the dinner in January, a charity raffle will yet again be held, with all funds raised being donated to a local charity. At the previous dinner held in October featuring snooker icon Dennis Taylor, ?1000 was raised in aid of Manx Cancer Help.
John Wannenburgh of the IoM Sporting and Dining Club added:
“Even for those who are not tuned in to the happenings of Westminster, Ann Widdecombe is perhaps one of the most recognisable figures in British politics from the last quarter of a century. Ann is not only a hugely talented public figure, but she is a hugely charismatic personality – both on the dance floor and away from it! Ann will undoubtedly be a fascinating speaker, with much to tell which I’m sure will make this dinner another hugely popular event, and this in turn will help us to raise a further significant sum for a local charity at the dinner.”
The event will take place on Thursday 30th January 2014 at the Best Western Palace Hotel and Casino in Douglas, with dinner tickets costing ?65 for members and ?75 for non-members (excluding VAT), available by contacting the Club on 617049 or mobile 07624 495749 and at john@sportinganddiningclub.com.
