When news first broke that former Conservative Party minister Ann Widdecombe had died, it was assumed her death was due to illness or advancing age.
As the news emerged, colleagues praised her contributions to public life, while political opponents noted her long-standing opposition to LGBTIQA+ rights.
Veteran rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was among those who highlighted on social media how her views had affected parts of the community.
“She opposed every gay law reform for 40 years, supporting every legal discrimination against LGBTs. She also backed bids to ‘cure’ homosexuality and said people should have the right to discriminate against LGBTs,” Tatchell wrote, signing off his post with “BIGOT!”
Tatchell has been at the forefront of LGBTIQA+ rights campaigns in the United Kingdom for more than 40 years.
Soon afterwards, police revealed that Widdecombe’s death was being investigated as a murder, saying she may have been dead for around 24 hours before her body was discovered at her rural home in Devon. She reportedly died in a violent assault, and a man is now in custody after being arrested in South Yorkshire.
Tatchell’s comments were criticised by some as being insensitive, and he has since withdrawn them.
“I apologise for my insensitive comments about Ann Widdecombe’s death. Nobody deserves to die, no matter what they believe in,” he said in a follow-up post. “My sincere condolences to Ann’s family & friends. I support the police investigation and want justice for Ann.”
Throughout her political career, Ann Widdecombe was known for her socially conservative views, including her opposition to abortion and her support for conversion therapy for LGBTIQA+ people. In 2019, she told Sky News that science had “yet to produce an answer” as to why some people are not heterosexual.
During her time in the UK Parliament, 17 items relating to LGBTIQA+ rights came before the House. Widdecombe opposed 15 of them and was not present for the votes on the other two. She opposed the equalisation of the age of consent and the repeal of Section 28, which prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” by local authorities and in maintained schools. Widdecombe also opposed same-sex marriage and gender self-identification for transgender people.
Tatchell’s withdrawal of his comments drew praise from actor-turned-aspiring right-wing politician Laurence Fox, who responded: “Good for you. We should respect a sincere apology, whatever our feelings were in the moment.”
