Ann Widdecombe

History is not merely a procession of people in fancy dress fighting wars. It is crucially the story of man's evolution from grunting cave dweller to serious thinker, from cruelly retributive law to merciful law, from casual barbarism to care and compassion.

Men are easier to get on with than women. They tend not to make emotional demands on you.

If any further proof were needed that the Liberal Democrats live up to neither part of their name, then the treatment of Roman Catholic Robert Flello would have provided it. They were glad enough to have him when he defected from Labour but have now deselected him because he supports neither abortion nor gay marriage.

I am a passionate opponent of fox hunting because the fox runs in fear of its life over a prolonged period, hearing the hounds getting closer and closer. Barbarous does not even begin to describe such a sport.

Commerce and politics do not go with royalty, full stop.

Of course Meghan Markle wasn't driven out of this country by racism. It is a ludicrous claim and symptomatic of how ridiculous the must-be-offended-at-all-costs brigade has become.

Britain must govern Britain and nothing less will do.

In the 1990s, while the Maastricht debate was raging, I was a minister in the Major government. Every single piece of legislation we proposed had to be scrutinised for compatibility with E.U. law.

I suspect my own journey to Brexit has closely followed that of Britain's. I had doubts, then I decided we should stay in, then I had very serious doubts as our island began to sink under a tide of regulations and our government lost control of the immigration system.

The E.U. is terrified that we might become a competitor on its doorstep and that is exactly what we should be.

We did it! Britain is no longer a member of the European Union. By 'we' I mean the 17.4 million Britons who voted Leave, Nigel Farage who fought for the cause for 25 years, Brexit Party MEPs, Tory Party members who were brave enough to desert their party in droves at the Euro-elections and, of course, the Daily Express.

The Royal Opera House? I once had the immense privilege of appearing there and was awed by the air of refinement of those seemingly ethereal beings who floated about in the highest echelons of musical accomplishment, effortlessly producing virtuoso performances in several different languages.

All of us, whether public figures or private individuals, should feel safe in our own homes and not fear surveillance from nosy neighbours.

Always carry a handkerchief. Especially in television studios.

Almost anybody from the past will hold views discordant with the present.

The Arctic has huge glaciers, frozen waterfalls and floating ice. This is scenery on which man has left no mark, which has stayed unchanged for centuries, wild, bleak, hauntingly beautiful; it is a part of God's creation we have made no effort to tame.

Strictly's strength is its appeal to all the family. The greatest compliment I was paid during my stint was from a lady at Paddington station who told me that every time the programme came on her four-year-old son would demand: 'Where's that granny, Mummy? I want the granny to win.'

Professionals use 'Strictly' as a relaunch of flagging careers. In my year Kara Tointon won. She had been talking about giving up acting in favour of interior design, but the glitter ball led to a role as Eliza Doolittle in the West End.

Actors and entertainers can become parliamentarians, so why should parliamentarians not become entertainers and actors?

It is a truth universally unacknowledged at Westminster that there is life after politics.

Car horns were invented to warn other drivers of your presence, not to express displeasure or greetings.

The modern notion of background music is a loud thump, thump, thump. It isn't only conversation it kills but also concentration.

An MP is an MP whether male or female.

Satisfaction is a major player in the happiness stakes.

For most of my political life I was not ecstatic but I was happy because I had huge confidence in the causes I espoused and the work I was doing. Even under extreme pressure I was satisfied that I was fighting a good fight.

If you'd said to me when I was 21, 'You're going to get into parliament, be a senior minister of state, shadow health secretary, shadow home secretary, a privy councillor, be endorsed by the Times as a candidate for Speaker, have four novels published, and then have great fun after you retire,' I'd have said, 'That sounds like a good life.'

Secularism has no central goal, it's just promoting endless relativism. That's why there is a huge moral drift in the country. Everybody is infallible except the Pope, if you like.

I don't have a problem with other people having different faith; my problem is if we confuse respecting that with surrendering our own faith.

What I do not like is militant secularism, whereby anything is acceptable as long as it's not Christian.

Our state ceremonies have a religious foundation. We have compulsory religious education. And the Church should be a moral guardian. We have in this country a long Christian heritage and Christian culture and we shouldn't be in too much of a hurry to give that up.

If we deny our culture and become nothing and everything, that weakens us.

Everybody who talks about 'Strictly' talks psychobabble. They say they're going on a journey, or trying to build their confidence, or getting over a divorce or something. People say there must be a deep reason to do these things. But there isn't! I'm just having fun.

Parliament was an institution of enormous standing when I was aspiring to go in. It isn't now.

Well, I spent 23 years in politics, and bits of that were fun.

It would be nonsense to try to suggest that somebody who tried to rouse 2,000 people to their feet - which is what I used to do at conference - doesn't have any element of exhibitionism about them.

Marriage isn't about two people; it is the basis for the family. That's why it's unique, and therefore I think society can say we're keeping marriage for a man and a woman.

The state does not belong in bedrooms. So I'm not authoritarian. I don't say: 'You shouldn't do this, you must do that.' What I do say is that the state must have a preferred model, and the model that has served us throughout the millennia is marriage - a man and a woman in a union that is generally open to procreation.

I've never understood this business of 'I could always have had something more.' If what you had was good, then thanks be to God.

Happiness is best defined by its antonym, which is less 'unhappiness' than 'anxiety.' Anyone who is not oppressed by intolerable worry or grievous pain is almost certainly happy, whether rich or poor, well or ill, successful or frustrated.

That's the joy of retirement - you're not trying to develop a career any more.

I can't hear rhythm.

Everything I did in politics affected somebody.

I am not a natural dancer, not even a half way competent dancer.

I am toothy, dumpy, ugly, overweight, a spinster - what the hell?

Believing in God was something I took as much for granted as the air I breathed. Religion wasn't something that came out of a box on Sunday.

I think a sense of family, of commitment to family, and of helping each other and standing by each other, are essential. I pity anyone who doesn't grow up with that.

My father was in the admiralty and he rose to a very senior position. He was very formidable; a bit grumpy, but I loved him dearly.

My mother always said bringing me up was a tiring business, which I 'believe. For instance, when we lived in Singapore, the Chinese staff used to leave their slippers at the bottom of the steps. Every night, I used to go and remove their slippers. I stopped being tiresome at about 14.

Cats are so wonderful because they're furry, purry and totally independent.

Never judge something by whether it is popular or not. You don't have to follow trends. No one thought William Wilberforce was right at first.