Quentin Letts’s column reflects on a Commons session held after the murder of former MP and broadcaster Ann Widdecombe, describing a mood of grief, tribute and unease about political violence. He recounts how MPs from different parties remembered her with affection and humour, while also linking her death to wider concerns about the risks faced by public figures after previous killings of politicians. The piece matters because it combines personal remembrance with a broader warning about the increasingly hostile political climate.

The article says Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood answered about an hour of Commons questions on Widdecombe’s murder and ended her opening remarks by wishing her eternal peace, with Labour MP Florence Eshalomi offering a similar tribute. Letts includes anecdotes from Robert Jenrick and Richard Tice about Widdecombe’s wit, presence and force of character, alongside his own memories of her voice, manner and past political interventions. The debate also turned to causes of political hostility, with some MPs blaming social media and Lee Anderson arguing that inflammatory language from politicians themselves has also worsened tensions; Jenrick further questioned the Home Office’s decision to reduce Nigel Farage’s security, which Mahmood said had been made independently.