Mourners gathered to pay their respects to ex-Tory minister Ann Widdecombe as she was laid to rest near her Devon home today.  

Her funeral took place at the Catholic abbey where she regularly worshipped, with a private requiem mass held for the former MP at Buckfast Abbey in Devon.

At the poignant service the Reform MP spokeswoman was remembered for her ‘unwavering convictions and sharp intellect.’

Police officers, including sniffer dogs, could be seen searching the grounds ahead of the funeral, which included a homily from the Rt Rev David Charlesworth, Abbot of Buckfast. 

Around 100 family, friends and colleagues attended the service which lasted around 90 minutes. 

Those who paid their respects to Miss Widdecombe today included shadow chancellor Mel Stride, former justice minister Crispin Blunt and broadcaster Iain Dale. 

Miss Widdecombe died on July 8 after she was hit over the head with a hammer 21 times at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, while eating her lunch.

Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was charged with her murder on July 20.

A photo issued by Buckfast Abbey of the funeral of former Tory minister Miss Widdecombe

Priests led the mourners through the vigil service at Buckfast Abbey 

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Mourners hug as they arrive for the former Tory minister’s funeral in Devon

A statement from the abbey said Miss Widdecombe would be ‘missed and fondly remembered’ and ‘many in our worshipping community knew her as a kind and warm character’.

‘Ann was a woman of profound faith, a faith which found expression in the public forum of politics,’ the statement said.

‘Ann was unafraid to express her unwavering convictions, formed through her Roman Catholic faith. She had a sharp intellect and was a dedicated public servant.’

In a post on LBC’s website on Wednesday, Mr Dale paid tribute to his friend and said he hopes to meet her in heaven one day. 

A statement issued by her family last month confirmed that a public memorial will follow later in the year.

‘While we are very grateful for the wide expression of condolences, the family would ask that this initial service is limited to those closest to Ann,’ it read.

The order of service for the requiem mass shows tributes paid by the Rev Roger Widdecombe, Miss Widdecombe’s nephew, and Sir Christian Sweeting, a close friend.

It states that donations made in memory of Miss Widdecombe will be divided between the Leprosy Mission and Abound, supporting the projects of the Christian Endeavour Hostel (CEH) in India.

The order of service for Miss Widdecombe’s private memorial, which was held today at Buckfast Abbey in Devon

The funeral procession for former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe at Buckfast Abbey

The funeral procession for former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe at Buckfast Abbey

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Miss Widdecombe’s coffin lay in wait before the funeral service 

Mourners arrive for the funeral of Miss Widdecombe, who died on July 8 after she was hit over the head with a hammer 21 times

Family and friends enter the church for the private requiem mass at Buckfast Abbey

Mourners gathered outside the church’s ground this afternoon before the service began

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Police officers in the grounds of Buckfast Abbey in Buckfastleigh, Devon, ahead of the funeral of Miss Widdecombe

A police officer looks into a drain during a security search in the grounds of Buckfast Abbey

A requiem mass was held for the former MP, who later became a Reform UK spokeswoman, at Buckfast Abbey in Devon (pictured)

A floral arrangement is carried into Buckfast Abbey in Buckfastleigh, Devon

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Inside Buckfast Abbey, where Miss Widdecombe was a regular worshipper

Miss Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, on July 9

Police officers outside the house of Miss Widdecombe in Haytor on July 11, 2026

Miss Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, was a prisons minister in the 1990s and later became an MEP for the Brexit Party.

At the time of her death she was a spokeswoman on immigration and justice for Reform UK.

She also found fame outside of politics on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.

Counter-terror police investigating Miss Widdecombe’s death announced last week it had reopened a probe into a firebombing incident at Nigel Farage’s home. 

Police said they had ‘identified a line of inquiry’ about the attack which was ‘not identified and pursued… at the time’.

Mr Farage has described the incident in April 2025 as an ‘outright arson attempt’ rather than the ‘attempted burglary’ described by police. 

He was not home at the time and found the damage when he returned. ‘Luckily it had burned itself out on the porch,’ he said.

Devon and Cornwall Police has faced criticism for prematurely announcing there was ‘nothing to suggest’ that the killing of Miss Widdecombe was politically motivated – only for counter-terrorism officers to take over the case days later after new evidence emerged.

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Andy Burnham has been warned he’s ‘prolonging the torture’ of victims and their families by dithering over Labour’s early release of prisoners.

Claire Waxman, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, accused the Prime Minister of creating ‘chaos and uncertainty’ in the justice system by ‘flip-flopping’.

Under initial plans, some 6,000 criminals were expected to be released early under the new Sentencing Act as part of the Government’s bid to tackle jail overcrowding.

Shortly after he took office, Mr Burnham ordered an urgent review of the scheme amid public outrage at the killers of PC Andrew Harper being eligible for early release.

The review resulted in changes last week to prevent rapists and paedophiles being released early – reducing the expected number of criminals eligible for early release to around 5,000 – but there was nothing to change the status of PC Harper’s killers. 

At the time, Mr Burnham said he had gone as far as he could – but after returning from his summer holiday the PM has this week performed a chaotic U-turn.

He said on Tuesday that he is ‘increasingly confident’ PC Harper’s killers will not be released early after he ordered Justice Secretary Alex Norris to draw up plans to free up prison space for serious offenders.

The PM said he ‘wouldn’t forgive myself’ if he did not try to lessen the ‘anguish’ of PC Harper’s family. But Ms Waxman attacked Mr Burnham’s wavering over the early release scheme.

Claire Waxman, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, accused the Prime Minister of creating ‘chaos and uncertainty’ in the justice system by ‘flip-flopping’

Ms Waxman told The Times that the failure to take a clear decision had left PC Harper’s family and all other families affected by manslaughter in a constant state of uncertainty and chaos that was ‘prolonging their torture’.

‘I’ve been very patient and supportive and trying to work with Government on this,’ she said.

‘But I can’t continue watching this happen because of the impact I’m seeing on victims and families. I know victims who’ve been hospitalised. 

‘I’ve got victims who cannot function in their daily lives because they have no idea what this means for them from October.

‘And while I understand that the new prime minister is finding this new sentencing legislation very difficult, it’s legislation that got passed and came in in January. 

‘If he doesn’t like it then it doesn’t commence – but that means we’ll run out of spaces in prison. But he’s got to make a decision.’ 

PC Harper was fatally injured when he got caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and was dragged down a country road as the killers fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in 2019.

Two out of three of PC Harper’s killers, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, are set to be released next year halfway through their 13-year sentences, after being convicted of manslaughter in 2020.

The driver of the vehicle, Henry Long, received a 16-year sentence and would not have been eligible for the Government’s early release scheme.

Speaking to LBC, the PM was asked if he had a message for Aimee Harper, the sister of PC Harper who had shared with the broadcaster her experience of sitting in the courtroom with his killers.

Asked what he would directly say to Ms Harper, Mr Burnham replied: ‘That I hear you, I feel for you. I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t do everything I possibly could to try and lessen your anguish, and I am doing that.

‘I am turning over every stone. I am looking at everything. I am pushing the system to go further.’

He added: ‘That’s the way I go about my job. I listen to people. I continually push myself and the system to do more. In this instance, I think there is more that can be done.’

PC Andrew Harper, a Thames Valley Police officer, was killed in August 2019 when responding to a quad bike theft in Berkshire

Mr Burnham pointed to returning foreign national offenders and dealing with the issue of those serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, an indeterminate jail term, as means of freeing up prison space.

The Government is also looking at using parts of the female prison estate for male offenders.

There are growing suggestions of a rift between No10 and the Ministry of Justice, with Downing Street officials said to see their opposite numbers as ‘weak’ after weeks of conflicting messages on the prisons crisis.

Meanwhile, it was reported that allies of the Justice Secretary felt the PM was making ‘promises that aren’t possible’.

In an unprecedented intervention, 50 police leaders – representing every force in the UK – united to condemn Labour’s scheme, calling on the PM to scrap plans to set free Cole, Bowers and thousands of other dangerous prisoners.

The National Police Chiefs Council released an extraordinary joint letter from the heads of 48 UK police forces, the National Crime Agency and Jersey Police, condemning the plans, warning it ‘risks undermining public safety, victim confidence and wider confidence in the criminal justice system’.

The signatories want Mr Burnham to explore ‘every lawful option’ to stop PC Harper’s killers being freed, suggesting the Government’s plans to early release offenders are a betrayal of a law brought in his memory.

His widow, Lissie, fought for Harper’s Law – a mandatory life sentence for anyone who kills an emergency worker in the line of duty following outrage over the sentencing of his killers.

A municipal judge’s appointment in a small Mississippi Delta town has drawn social media backlash, from internet trolls and a few Mississippi politicians, because she is Muslim.

But those who know Assma Ali, including a law professor, say the U.S. native is qualified and an upstanding member of Mississippi’s legal community.

“We have people from out of state who just see a woman in a hijab and they say action must be taken. These attacks against Ms. Ali are about her religion,” said Frank Rosenblatt, an attorney and professor at Mississippi Christian University School of Law, who has known Ali for years and spoke highly of her willingness to mentor young lawyers.

In recent days, people including some Mississippi politicians attacked Ali online for what they claimed are radical beliefs – without any substantiation. They accused her of fabricating the judicial appointment and speculated she would institute Islamic law. Social media posts falsely claimed she was appointed as a judge in Ridgeland or in Lumberton.

“Mississippi appoints first Yemeni Sharia Hijabi judge,” Amy Mekelburg of New York, founder and editor-in-chief of the Rise Align Ignite Reclaim Foundation, wrote in a post on X. Mekelburg questioned whether Ali had made up the appointment, writing: “In Mississippi – is it an Islamic scam, or are Mississippi officials being dishonest?”

Ali, an immigration lawyer with nearly 10 years of experience, was appointed last week as the municipal judge for Benoit, a town of fewer than 400 people in Bolivar County. She is an American citizen of Yemeni descent. She runs her own private practice in Ridgeland. She earned her law degree from Mississippi College School of Law, now Mississippi Christian University, in 2017 and was admitted to the state bar the same year.

Ali, in a statement on social media, said she will uphold the U.S. Constitution and Mississippi law.

“I was born in the United States, and as both an attorney and a judge, I am committed to upholding the United States Constitution and the laws of the State of Mississippi,” Ali wrote. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Benoit and will approach this responsibility with fairness, integrity, impartiality, and respect for the law.”

On Monday, Ali shared her signed oath of office and Benoit’s meeting agenda showing her appointment in a post on social media for “clarity and transparency.”

Mississippi has more than 200 municipal judges, who are appointed by the city’s governing body, not the state, and who only have jurisdiction over that city. They deal with city ordinance violations, traffic violations, misdemeanor crimes and some initial appearances, according to the Mississippi State Judiciary’s website.

In cities with a population below 20,000, a municipal judge is not required to live in the area where they serve, according to an attorney general ’s opinion. Some seats are part-time appointments and judges can continue private practice.

“Ms. Ali is a very well liked and popular member of our community,” Rosenblatt said.

Some people on social media have called for her to be removed because she is Muslim. Rosenblatt pointed out that the U.S. and Mississippi constitutions expressly prohibit disqualifying someone from public office because of their religion.

“I think some of the things we’ve seen from some state officials are incredibly disrespectful to Ms. Ali, and they are in direct contradiction of the U.S. Constitution and the Mississippi Constitution,” Rosenblatt said.

Some, without documentation, claimed that Ali would implement Sharia law in Mississippi.

Sahar Aziz, a professor of law and Middle East Legal Studies Scholar at Rutgers University Law School, said there is no one Sharia law and called it “a very complicated and multi-jurisprudential legal system” subject to a multiplicity of interpretations across time, countries and cultures. She compared it to the differences of opinions and interpretations in the Catholic church.

“The accusation they’re making is a very serious one. They’re saying that simply because you are a Muslim we just presume that you are going to violate the separation between church and state. And you are going to impose whatever your interpretation is of Islam upon everyone that goes before you as a judge,” Aziz said, adding that similar accusations have been leveled against other public officials across the U.S.

“It’s not relevant at all to the United States,” Aziz said. “No more relevant than the question: Will an Orthodox Jew impose Jewish law in the U.S. if he or she is a judge? Will an orthodox, practicing Catholic impose canon law on the parties which they’re adjudicating?”

In 2015, the Mississippi Legislature passed a law banning any foreign law from being enforced in Mississippi, which at the time was billed as being an anti-Sharia law measure. There had been several previous unsuccessful attempts to pass similar measures, with opponents pointing out it seemed to be a “solution in search of a problem.”

In a 2024 post about a proclamation from Republican Gov. Tate Reeves celebrating Arab American Heritage Month, Ali wrote, “This means the world to the Arab community, my children, and future generations. This is why I love this state!”

___

This story was originally published by Mississippi Today and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

Mirror reporter Saskia Rowlands has sent the following from Lands End in Cornwall.

People have travelled from far and wide to catch a glimpse of the eclipse at Land’s End.

Susan Carpenter, 70, drove down to Cornwall from Newbury, Berks, this morning with her husband, daughter and grandson.

She told us: “For the last eclipse in 1999, we took our children to Devon and we’ve brought our grandson so he can experience an eclipse.

“The last one [eclipse] was phenomenal —it was at 11 in the morning.

“Everything went black and the birds went to sleep and as it went over the birds started to wake and you get the dawn chorus. The children couldn’t believe it. It’s a really good experience.”

Steve Lipscombe, from Mitcham, South London, watched the 1999 eclipse from Devon, but last minute cloud cover obscured his view.

He said: “I was in Penzance with the Radio 1 roadshow they did back then.

“It was a lovely day like today, but it went cloudy just as the eclipse was starting to happen, so we basically missed it, which was terrible — I’d travelled 300 miles there and back, so I’m back again today for take two.

“I like celestial things, I’ve seen many shooting star showers – but there’s not another eclipse for 65 years in this country.”

The Moon will obscure more than 90 percent of the Sun in the nightsky tonight

Skygazers across Scotland are gearing up for a historic partial solar eclipse tonight which will be the first of its kind in the UK since 1999.

The partial eclipse won’t be seen again for another 54 years, so many Scots will be looking for the best spots to watch the phenomenon.

The eclipse is created by the Moon passing directly between the Earth and the Sun, obscuring more than 90% of the Sun’s surface. It’ll be the most dazzling spectacle seen in the UK since August 1999.

For those watching in Scotland, if the sky is clear, gazers will get to witness the sky turn dark and a bright ring of the sun’s atmosphere appear.

The eclipse is expected to begin at around 6.08pm and will last around two hours, concluding at 8.03pm before sunset. It will reach its peak at around 7.10pm, when around 94% of the Sun is expected to be obscured by the Moon.

If you can’t get outside to see it for yourself, you can watch the solar eclipse live here. The free livestream from the Royal Museums Greenwich in London begins at 6.10pm and runs until 8pm.

When does the eclipse begin?

The eclipse will begin at around 6.08pm in Scotland reaching its maximum at approximately 7.10pm before ending shortly after 8.03pm. At its peak, around 94% of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon.

Because the eclipse happens shortly before sunset, the Sun will sit only around 9° to 11° above the horizon at maximum eclipse. That means choosing a location with an uninterrupted view.

Best places to watch the eclipse in Scotland

The Met Office has confirmed that the west of Scotland is the best location to view the solar eclipse tonight.

• Western Isles and West Coast, including Glasgow, are predicted to see the most coverage in the country. Between 92 per cent to 94 per cent of the sun will be obscured here.
• Inverness will see around 90.74% of coverage of the Sun.
• Edinburgh will see 90.71% of the sun hidden.
• Parts of Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Shetland may see slightly less, between 88% to 90% of the eclipse.

Once the eclipse ends, skywatchers may be treated to another celestial display. The event coincides with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, meaning those who remain outdoors after darkness falls could also see dozens of shooting stars crossing a moonless sky.

How to watch the eclipse safely

Despite most of the Sun being covered, it is never safe to look directly at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection.

The UK Health Security Agency recommends using only genuine eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers that meet the international safety standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E). Ordinary sunglasses do not provide enough protection.

Anyone using binoculars, cameras or telescopes should ensure they are fitted with specialist solar filters. Alternatively, a simple pinhole projector made from a piece of card allows the eclipse to be viewed safely without looking directly at the Sun.

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She related the shocking story to Rylan Clark on BBC Radio 2, describing in detail the unfortunate turn of events that led to her almost being sacked.

“I was daydreaming through the window with the aspirator,” she said.

“You know the aspirator? That thing that goes…” Diane made a slurping sound.

“And he went ‘Diane, Diane!’ – the dentist that is.

“Diane, Diane! And I came to and I shoved it in with such force that I knocked the cap off their front tooth and it was lying in the middle of their tongue, an the dentist looked at me like, ‘you’re fired!”

“Did they fire you?” asked Rylan.

“No, actually. We just glued it back on, and everyone was happy.”

Diane Morgan in Ann Droid (Image: BBC)

Diane is a Farnworth-born actress, most recently in the public eye for writing and starring in the BBC sitcom Ann Droid.

Diane stars as Linda, a robotic assistant to Sue Johnston’s Sue Bevan, who is heartbroken after losing her husband 18 months prior.

Lawyers for the man charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk say he shouldn’t be eligible for the death penalty because the shooter “hit the intended target” during the assassination last year at a Utah event attended by thousands of people.

Defendant Tyler Robinson’s attorneys say prosecutors have not proven that others who attended Kirk’s event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10 were endangered by the shooting — a potentially aggravating factor under state law that would make it a capital crime.

The defense lawyers also disputed claims that Robinson targeted Kirk over his political views. Prosecutors alleged that Robinson told his roommate that he killed the activist because he “had enough of his hatred.” But the defense said that was not enough to prove what could have motivated Robinson, after searches of his apartment, computers and telephone failed to produce anything beyond that one statement.

The arguments were contained in documents filed late Tuesday as the defense tries to block the case from proceeding to trial.

Prosecutors last month presented what they call “overwhelming” evidence against Robinson, including DNA tests that tie him to the suspected murder weapon and apparent confessions by the defendant.

His defense attorneys during that hearing questioned the reliability of the prosecution’s evidence, but they didn’t offer any alternative theories for Kirk’s assassination. The defense made no mention of DNA in Tuesday’s filing.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea in the case. He turned himself in a day after Kirk was killed.

His defense attorneys previously tried to get the death penalty taken off the table after prosecutors were found to be in contempt of court for talking about the case to the media. State District Judge Tony Graf rejected that request.

Prosecutors have until Aug. 18 to respond to the defense arguments. The Associated Press left telephone and email messages with the Utah County Attorney’s Office seeking comment.

Robinson faces possible sentence enhancements if prosecutors can prove he targeted Kirk because of his political views.

Robinson’s former roommate, Lance Twiggs said in an April interview with prosecutors and investigators that Robinson sometimes talked about politics, including President Donald Trump. But Twiggs said he never heard Robinson talk about Kirk before the shooting. The defendant also did not talk much about gender issues or LGBTQ+ rights, Twiggs said.

Preliminary hearings typically don’t last so long. Legal experts said the slow pace reflects a cautious approach by Graf and the large volume of evidence. Lawyers for Kirk’s family have asked Graf to make his decision on Sept. 1 so they case can proceed without further delay.

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