Extreme anti-LGBT politician Ann Widdecombe to stand for Brexit Party
Newly elected Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe. (Peter Summers/Getty)
Nigel Farage has announced Ann Widdecombe, who holds extreme anti-LGBT views, will be a candidate for the Brexit Party.
On Wednesday morning (April 24) Farage confirmed Widdecombe would campaign in the South West, for the upcoming European Parliamentary Elections in May.
I welcome Ann Widdecombe as our lead candidate in the South West, the Brexit Party is a stronger alliance as a result. This is great news.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) April 24, 2019
Former Conservative party MP Widdecombe, 71, caused controversy when she made “homophobic” comments on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.
Widdecombe, who has spent decades battling equal rights reforms in the UK, took part in Celebrity Big Brother alongside drag star Courtney Act and several other LGBT housemates.
The Conservative politician repeatedly clashed with Courtney Act, real name Shane Jenek, on the show over her “homophobic” views.
Widdecombe criticised Jenek’s “lewd” behaviour with fellow housemate Andrew Brady, calling the pair “disgusting” and telling Brady that his mother and grandmother would be ashamed of him for the homoerotic flirtations.
Ann Widdecombe finishes in second place during the 2018 Celebrity Big Brother Final (Getty)
While during her time as an MP from 1987 until 2010, Widdecombe voted to opposed gay rights at every opportunity.
Ann Widdecombe opposing LGBT+ equality
Widdecombe spent her years in Parliament opposing an equal age of consent, the repeal of Section 28, the Equality Act, same-sex adoption and civil partnerships.
She has also expressed support for ‘gay cure’ therapy and says people should have the ‘freedom’ to discriminate against gay couples.
The 71-year-old was a major force behind the Coalition for Marriage, the national campaign to block same-sex marriages, and she spoke out regularly in opposition to equality.
At the time she attacked Prime Minister David Cameron for introducing the law, saying she felt “alienated by gay marriage”.
Former MP Anne Widdecombe speaks at an anti-LGBT Coalition for Marriage fringe event, as part of the Conservative Party Conference close to the International Convention Centre on October 8, 2012 (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
She said: “I was very angry with the Conservatives, I was very alienated by gay marriage, not only by the issue but by the attitude of the party high command.
“David Cameron just bulldozed the whole thing through, though it had never been in any manifesto or tried or tested.”
She was so outraged about the legislation she called for protests in the streets.
Farage’s Brexit Party is fielding candidates for the European elections in May after the UK was given an extension to the Brexit process until October 31.
In addition to Farage’s new venture, Change UK – formerly The Independent Group – launched its European election campaign in Bristol on Tuesday.
