Ann Widdecombe talks Barrow ahead of visit

Ann Widdecombe will visit The Forum theatre on July 31 to speak about her time in politics and her forays into television before engaging in a question-and-answer session.

Ahead of the visit, Miss Widdecombe spoke to The Mail about what sprung to mind when she thought of Barrow.

"There used to be an MP, Cecil Franks, and he was telling us in the House of Commons tea room that he had the worst possible journey [to Parliament] of any of us," she said.

"It used to take him seven hours."

She said the phrase 'red wall' sprung to mind when Barrow and Workington - the other Cumbrian stop on her tour - were mentioned.

She suggested they were towns that 'probably need quite a bit doing' although said this situation was the same in many places.

STRAIGHT TALKING: Ann Widdecombe

Miss Widdecombe, 73, who was MP for Maidstone and The Weald until 2010, said she would not get the chance to see much of Cumbria on her tour dates.

"I shall come in, I shall appear at a date. Given that I have got four appearances in four days, we move on," she said.

"Sometimes I end up in very picturesque places and all I see is it from a car or a train window.

"It may be that we shall go through some wonderful scenery.

"If you say to me 'Cumbria', I will say to you 'lakes'."

She said she had been to Barrow before and recalled the visit was for 'a Conservative do' in the town.

Miss Widdecombe, who lives in Devon, is anticipating a variety of questions from the public on her tour. From her time as an MP through to her stints on Strictly Come Dancing and Big Brother, nothing is off limits.

"I'm looking forward to the tour as I haven't done one since before the lockdown which was last year," she said.

"I'm really looking forward to having a normal audience, so to speak."

Visit theforumbarrow.co.uk to book tickets.