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Strictly Politics

You can take the girl out of politics, but you can’t take the politics out of the girl. Ann Widdecombe, or “Widders” as she is now more commonly and affectionately known, has demonstrated this. She is the John Sergeant of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing competition, the fantastically awful and gloriously incapable dancer of the bunch. And we love to watch her, as evidenced by the fact that she is still in the competition.

But “Widders” and John Sergeant fundamentally differ. Sergeant left, and Widdecombe will not. According to The Guardian several weeks back, “Widdecombe will be on her dancing feet until the public sweeps her off“. And she is. Although retired, Ann is a politician through and through. She, unlike many, thoroughly gets the show. It is completely and utterly determined by the public. If the show is ‘degraded’ as a consequence of someone like our Ann winning, then it is because the public wants it so. And if the show isn’t for the public, then what is the point?

Just like in politics, the people decide who stays and who goes. For Ann to leave, as many have heralded over the course of the series that she should, would be to go against her fundamental instinct as a politician. She has only ever been there, and only will be in this competition, if the people want her. On BBC Radio 4 this morning John Snow commented that Ms. Widdecombe may be remembered more for donning her dancing shoes than for her whole time as shadow Home Secretary. I think these aren’t quite so separate as Snow proposes. I would hope that Ann is remembered for her devotion to the will of the people, for her stoicism in the face of public criticism and her commitment to the cause. Whether she is wearing a tweed suit in parliament or sequins on the dance floor.

About the Author Phoebe Thompson Phoebe has recently graduated from Oxford University in Philosophy and Theology and is currently pursuing a career in broadcasting