MP's novel use of time

By BARBARA WARD

She told lunch club members at Averham’s Robin Hood Theatre on Tuesday that she would then return to her first love — writing fiction.

Miss Widdecombe, the MP for Maidstone and The Weald, entered Parliament in 1987. Three years later she became a minister in John Major’s government.

In 1995 she became Minister of State at the Home Office, with responsibility for prisons.

She said: “With very, very few shining exceptions, prisons in this country are places of profound idleness for 23 hours’ a day.”

She said the majority of prisoners were illiterate and innumerate and most had unstructured lifestyles.

She said prisons should be made places of purpose, with inmates obliged to do a full day’s work.

“Today they make socks, not mail bags, but these supply the prison population.”

She suggested prisoners should be given proper work by contractors and be paid a proper wage with deductions. This would inculcate the habit of an ordinary working day.

In 1997, when the Tories lost power, Miss Widdecombe said she found herself with more time and decided to return to writing — something she had pursued before politics.

“I put pressure on myself by announcing to the world that I was writing a novel. I used the same method to lose weight. There’s nothing like the pressure of the Press ringing you up each week to see how well you are doing.”

Her first novel, The Clematis Tree, became a best-seller. She followed this with An Act Of Treachery, Father Figure and An Act Of Peace and is currently writing a fifth.

Miss Widdecombe told the club she sold some of her books at Conservative Party Conferences, shouting out like a barrow boy: “Get your clean books here.”

When, one year, she found herself in competition with Edwina Currie’s diaries, she sold 500 copies compared to her former colleague’s 15.

Because she was no longer in government, she said she decided to keep herself in the public eye by appearing on some non-political television shows.

She said yes to Michael Parkinson and Basil Brush, but no to Ruby Wax, Big Brother and Strictly Come Dancing.

She decided to appear, on her own terms, on Celebrity Fit Club as it was watched by more than six million viewers. She also wanted to get fit and she was able to raise a huge amount of money for charity while doing so.

She said of the show’s fitness instructor, Harvey: “During the week he is in the United States training US Marines, then he flies to Britain at weekends to train Fit Club. Occasionally he gets us muddled up.”

She said she did not enjoy Fit Club, but lost 36lb that year.
Speaking about her change of image. She said she decided to become blonde to make going grey less drastic.

“I went half a shade lighter every month. It took 18 months before anyone noticed.

“Ever since I’ve gone blonde men now speak to me much more slowly.”
When asked what she thought of the new Tory leader, Mr David Cameron, she said: “We have gone ahead in the polls and stayed ahead. We had good results in the May local elections. We might actually win if he can keep us on course.”

However, she added that in the election for leader, she had voted first for Ken Clarke, then Liam Fox and finally David Davis.

ANN WIDDECOMBE: Relishing the prospect of a new full-time career. A230506MW5-2

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