Ann Widdecombe’s death should make Britain ask itself: what sort of political culture do we want? | Gaby Hinsliff

Dehumanising politicians is the first step towards justifying their elimination. It matters more than ever to keep putting the person back into the picture Ann Widdecombe was never one to hide from an argument. And she wasn’t afraid for her safety either. She scoffed at friends’ suggestions that she should get electric gates, as an elderly woman with a public profile living alone on Dartmoor, just as she dismissed concerns about her health at 78. Having lost friends in the Brighton hotel bomb...

By Gaby Hinsliff