Ann Widdecombe should be elevated to the House of Lords

There has been a bit of a debate at ConservativeHome as to whether the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe, who retires at the end of this Parilament, should be elevated to the Lords. There were, unsurprisingly, strong views expressed on both sides. Those opposing were legion: she is opposed to abortion and is therefore a 'Catholic extremist'; in an era of gay rights and moral relativism, 'Cameron will not want a social conservative'; she favours the ban on hunting with hounds and therefore out of sorts with the traditions of her own party; she criticises her own party and is therefore disloyal; 'what she did to Michael Howard was unforgivably dishonourable'; she is not a team player; she is incongruent with 'modern caring Conservatism'; and she is 'the rudest person I ever came across'.

Yet the ConHome readers endorsed the nomination with 72% in favour and just 19% against. And the reasons they give for supporting her include her conviction; her dedication to her faith; her untiring work for the Party; her preparedness to confront the zeitgeist; her tenacity; she has integrity and principles (unlike many); she is credible; her fearlessness; her moral worldview; and she 'enriches public life'.

His Grace had this to say:

Of course Ann Widdecombe should be elevated to the Lords - if only to hear her confront a few bishops.

If Conservatism is to remain a 'broad church', then space must be found for Baroness Widdecombe. If that church is to become insular and narrow, one alienates either the conservative wing or the liberal wing and ends up with a dismembered body of political extremists of one faction or the other. It is, after all, possible to be a fundamentalist relativist liberal.

The Conservative Party has been forever changing and never dogmatic. It is for that reason that its relationship with the Church of England has endured. If the Conservative Party is to continue to speak to every constituency of the United Kingdom, it must perpetuate its own via media. This is not a fudged compromise; it is the reality of living in a pluralist liberal democracy in which one has to be all things to all people.

Baroness Widdecombe articulates for 'middle England'. Alienate those, and the Conservative Party ceases to be anything.