Ann Widdecombe will still be a hero in at least one woman’s eyes should she fail to become Speaker of the House of Commons.
The MP for Maidstone and The Weald will find out tomorrow if she has been chosen to replace Michael Martin, who quit the job last month in the fall-out of the expenses scandal.
Regardless of how she gets on, Miss Widdecombe will no doubt still be idolised by fellow Kent resident Jane Wenham-Jones after the popular author nominated her for inclusion in the new Help for Heroes cookbook.
The book – proceeds from which will go towards helping wounded Armed Forces personnel – sees a range of well-known personalities explaining who they would cook for and why.
Broadstairs resident Ms Wenham-Jones wrote: “My hero is definitely Ann Widdecombe, which has nothing to do with her politics and is all about the conviction she exudes.
“With her foghorn vowels and wonderful aura of ‘matron knows best’, AW is an abiding constant in an uncertain world. Not for her woolly replies like ‘I’m not sure’ or ‘I’ve never thought about that’.
“She is the ship of belief sailing majestically across the wish-wash of political correctness, tossing the namby-pamby aside in her wake.
“I particularly love her when she is making mincemeat of interviewers by disregarding their questions and only answering her own.
“Normally known for my gobbiness, I was reduced in the three seconds I was in her presence to gush and blush.”
Despite being rejected countless times in her quest for a publisher, Ms Wenham-Jones has found success with a range of humorous novels since 1995 as well as more than a hundred short stories for women’s magazines.
Miss Widdecombe, who will give up her seat at the next general election, told MPs ahead of tomorrow’s secret vote for a new Speaker that she had the “vulgar attributes” to help Parliament reconnect with the public.
Were Ms Wenham-Jones to concoct a meal for her hero, she said she would provide her with egg mayonnaise sandwiches, hand-fried crisps and a bottle of champagne.
Miss Widdecombe told Kent on Sunday the selection would be “fine for a non-slimming day”, adding: “I’m extremely flattered and look forward to reading about it.”
Meanwhile, South Thanet MP Dr Stephen Ladyman also contributed to the cookbook and selected Donald Campbell – the only man to set land and water speed records in the same year – as his hero.
He said: “I chose Donald Campbell because as a boy he was the ultimate hero for me.
“When it dawned on me after the Bluebird crashed on Coniston Water that he was mortal like the rest of us, my admiration for the way he lived only increased.”
The cookbook can be purchased from www.foodforheroes.co.uk and all good booksellers priced £14.95.
POSTED: 21/06/2009 12:00:00
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