She runs in 2001 as the Tory Right's standard bearer, and defeats Kenneth Clarke in the final round.
How would she have done as leader?
Anne Widdecombe....
2002 --- Anne goes on the stump as opposition and is seen as "Plump and Dowdy" The Tories' numbers fall
2003 --- "Operation Anne Widdecombe Peel"
Widdecombe goes on "Celebrity Fit Club", loses 66 pounds enroute to dropping nearly 100.
She also does a turn on "What Not To Wear" with he newly Aerobicized-GirlPower body. Anne goes from Dowdy to WOW!
Her confidence is up, and so are the Tories, who win 4 by-elections in 2003
2004, the big set up year. The healthy, confident Widdecombe is sharp in question time and gaining traction to regain the disaffected citizens still pining for strong Thatcher-style leadership. Some begin to think, Widdecombe could be the one.
Election Night 2005
"The Swingometer showing a huge thrust back to the blue tonight , and you can see all those Conservatives seats lost returning to the blue fold. Hard to believe when Anne Widdecombe was named Conservative leader that you would see a very different leader in 2005, but Anne made her swing, the Tories got their swing and now 10 Downing swings back to the Tories."
"Our BBC Projections confirm the Conservatives will have a 37-seat majority in the next Commons in a huge comeback. Two years ago, the Tories dropped to third in the polls, but a change in image by their leader led to a sterling return to Blue in power."