Ann Widdecombe rows with Courtney Act and India Willoughby over same-sex marriage
(Getty)
Anti-LGBT rights politician Ann Widdecombe has come to blows in the Celebrity Big Brother house over her views on marriage equality.
The former Conservative MP told housemates India Willoughby and Courtney Act – also known as Shane Jenek – that marriage can only be between one man and one women.
Jenek, whose home country of Australia just passed same-sex marriage, told the retired MP he had researched her voting record and was far from impressed.
Former MP Anne Widdecombe speaks at anti same-sex marriage fringe event (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Keen to quiz Ann’s views, he said: “I understand you voted against any pro-LGBT legislation in parliament in your 23 years?”
Ann replied: “It would depend which piece of legislation I was voting on.”
“Lets start with marriage equality,” Shane said, before Ann interjected: “You call it marriage equality, I call it the re-definition of marriage.
Ann Widdecombe (Channel 5)
“If a marriage is between a man and a man and woman and a woman, then why not between one man and two women?”
Shane quickly retorted: “Marriage has been redefined many times throughout history. You used to never be able to get divorced…”
Refusing to accept the interjection, Ann claimed the term ‘marriage’ could never be altered.
Courtney Act (Channel 5)
RELATED: The truth about Ann Widdecombe’s shocking record on LGBT rights
She said: “A marriage is a civil institution that is defined by parliament – if people want to change that I’ve got to be persuaded that its a good idea and I’m not.”
India Willoughby added: “But if two people love each other and want to get married it doesn’t impact anyone else,” to which Ann responded: “What you’re saying is you don’t apply the definition of marriage.
“It’s not just a word, it’s an institution set up for the stability of society which has been with us for centuries. Marriage is a man and a woman.”
Ann Widdecombe enters the “Celebrity Big Brother” House (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
Shane later confessed that he strongly disagrees with Ann’s views, but appreciated that he can have a reasonable conversation with her about their conflicting opinions.
The revelation will come as little surprise to those who know Ann’s views on LGBT issues.
As a major force behind the Coalition for Marriage – the national campaign to block same-sex marriages – Widdecombe spoke out regularly in opposition to equality.
Despite remaining being a Conservative Party member, she attacked Prime Minister David Cameron for introducing the law, saying she felt “alienated by gay marriage”.
She said: “I was very angry with the Conservatives, I was very alienated by gay marriage, not only by the issue but by the attitude of the party high command.
“David Cameron just bulldozed the whole thing through, though it had never been in any manifesto or tried or tested.”
She was so outraged about the legislation, in fact, that she called for protests in the streets, like those seen in France.
