Adam Boulton summarises Ann Widdecombe as ‘a spinster, an old maid and a virgin’

[PeachOctopus]

Lots of comments about this news report from Andrew Boulton regarding Anne Widdicombe -he called her a “spinster,” an “old maid” and a “virgin” while speculating about her private life.
I couldn’t believe that as a mainstream broadcaster on Sky he chose language like this to remember her life, regardless of her politics.

Anne Widdicombe- Sky news Andrew Boulton’s misogyny

It's Bro Code for some man should have given her a good fuck years ago then she would have been a proper women, not the sort women this obnoxious prick objects too.

@IrnBruAndDietCokeThanks that's helpful. It's definitely not an acceptable thing for a female to be spoken about this way.

Boulton is a professional, many decades in the business, he knew what he was doing. Clear misogyny.

I some respects martial and family status is important to murder investigations as it can rule out family members etc. But a brief "she lived on her own and had no children" would be sufficient, not his tawdry comments.

But I do see this attitude with both men and women who live a celibate life, there is an incredulous and dismissive attitude in the media, particular when they are the victim to a heinous crime.

AB left Sky in 2021, on the basis that people of his vintage no longer had a place in the changing news industry.'
"I've just got to accept to a certain point that you and I, we're tail-end baby boomers, and there's a kind of move against the baby boomers,"
Adam Boulton: Sky News veteran to leave station after 32 years

I was surprised to see him popping up again recently on Sky News review of the papers, and I noticed that he was saying some eyebrow-raising things.

If he's identifying as some sort of leftover from an older, more genteel generation which was replaced by a younger, tough, ruthless 24 hr news cycle, I'm surprised he doesn't remember the tradition that is usually observed when someone dies:
'Of the dead, nothing but good is to be said'
at least until after they have been laid to rest.

The media is full of people who disagreed vehemently with most if not all of AW's opinions and attitudes, who nonetheless had the decency and dignity to find positive things to say about the sincerity of her beliefs, her commitment to public life etc.

Shame on AB.

Kevin McGuire on the same side as him politically yet gave a gave a lovely summary of his experience with her, it wasn’t about politics I think he sees single older unmarried women as lesser.

Jeremy vine Kevin McGuire tribute

That is just utterly disgusting

That's interesting. McGuire's often very intolerant and dismissive of women so it's it's good to see him channelling his grown up human side.

Disgraceful comment. Ofcom wont do anything though as they are useless.

Horrified by the Adam Boulton comment. Even without the fact that she appears to have been murdered, it is despicable.

Richard Coles's comment on FB was a much better attempt (I thought anyway) at reconciling the fact that he liked her as a person but hated her politics.

Prayers offered for the soul of Ann Widdecombe who I knew a bit, both as an adversary and as an inconveniently congenial acquaintance.

I have never felt quite so drawn to someone personally and repulsed politicially simultaneously. It happens not infrequently now but she was the first.

I would like to say this all works out in the end, and it does in eternity. In this life it is hard to see.

But the old order has passed away.

Heavenly Father
You have called your servant Ann
out of this world;
release her from the bonds of sin,
and welcome her into your presence,
so that she may enjoy eternal light and peace
and be raised up in glory
And dance with all your saints.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

EDIT: I’ve heard the news. Awful. I’m so sorry.

What has happened to common decency in this country? The poor woman has just been murdered ffs. There are people all over social media & the MSM pulling her private and professional reputation apart. It's appalling and they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. But it would appear that shame is also passé these days.

*I'm a steadfast leftist. Just to be clear.