On August 18th 2019, it was reported that Ms Widdecombe had been a guest on the Richie Allen radio show three times between August 2017 and April 2019. Richie Allen is a journalist who broadcasts a current affairs programme, which purports to discuss “… that which the mainstream media won’t”. It is broadcast on his own website and is also available elsewhere including on Davidicke.com, the site of writer and conspiracy theorist David Icke, who has also appeared on the Mr Allen’s show. The show has hosted notorious antisemite Gilad Atzmon on numerous occasions.
A Brexit Party spokesman reportedly denounced Mr Icke, but said that he suspected “few would know who his contacts are,” adding: “Obviously we denounce antisemitism and racism of any stripe. I’d never heard of this show, or indeed any of its guests. I doubt that the guests were any the wiser. We are now.”
On 22nd August 2019, it was reported that Ms Widdecombe had defended her appearances on the show, saying that in each case she had pointed to her longstanding support for Israel and Jewish causes, having been a member of Conservative Friends of Israel and a speaker at Jewish charity B’nai B’rith’s events. She commented: “I wouldn’t mind if I had not always supported Jewish causes. If I am antisemitic, the Pope is anti-Catholic.” She said that she had agreed to appear on the programmes to discuss Brexit, and that it was unreasonable to expect politicians to know “who’s been on before and said what in the past”.
It was further reported that, in August 2019, Ms Widdecombe had also been a guest on Bristol Community FM’s Politics Show. The programme is hosted by Tony Gosling, who was the subject of an Ofcom complaint, alleging that his programme is “filled with conspiracy theories, extremism, racism and propaganda”, and whose podcast featured a debate between notorious antisemite Gilad Atzmon and Tony Greenstein, who was expelled from the Labour Party after having made antisemitic statements.
At the time of writing, on 23rd November 2019, we are unaware of any disciplinary action having been taken by the Brexit Party against Ms Widdecombe.
In November 2019, Campaign Against Antisemitism put this matter to Ms Widdecombe, but did not receive a response.
In November 2019, Campaign Against Antisemitism put this matter to the Brexit Party, but did not receive a response.