Ann Widdecombe defects to Farage’s Brexit Party to run in European elections

After 55 years of loyalty to the Conservative Party, former MP and Minister Ann Widdecombe has left the Tories and defected to Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.

She plans come out of retirement to stand as a candidate in the South West, ahead of the European elections on May 23rd.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain in her first interview since the announcement, Ms Widdecombe said: ”Britain’s an international laughing stock, Parliament’s a parody.

“What needs to happen in the European elections is for us to send a seismic shock to both major parties.”

“The problem is we’ve got a majority in the population for leaving, majority in Parliament for remaining, and no will to respect the result of the referendum.”

Ms Widdecombe added she is also backing Nigel Farage because she believes he has the ability to create the shift in Parliament, and deliver what’s required in Brexit negotiations.

“There is a huge disillusionment amongst the population with Parliament,” she told the programme.

"Nigel Farage has been more successful than any politician other than Margaret Thatcher...for getting his agenda through - and he’s actually done it from outside Westminster.”

She also denied this was a protest vote, stating: “It’s far from a protest vote. It is a means of trying to galvanise Westminster into getting this issue dealt with.”

When asked what she would say to the Prime Minister, she responded: “If you want the answer why, ask yourself what you have been doing for the last three years other than losing our majority, giving into [Jean-Claude] Juncker at every turn, instead of simply turning round to him and saying to him, in a language he can understand: ‘Nous allons [we go].'”

The other parties running in the South West are:

Change UKConservativesLabourUKIPGreensLib Dems

GMB will speak to some of the candidates in the next few weeks.