Widdecombe regrets speeding offence

Ann Widdecombe was caught by speed cameras

Shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe has admitted to being embarrassed after she was caught speeding in her car.

She was trapped by speed cameras as she drove along the Sidcup bypass in Kent in her new car at 10mph over the 40mph limit.

Miss Widdecombe received a £40 fine and three points on her licence for the offence.

A Conservative Party spokesman said she was embarrassed and regretted the incident.

She does have a strict line on law and order as does the party

Tory party spokesman

"She was a few miles over the limit but the law is the law and she does have a strict line on law and order as does the party," he said.

"Like anyone who gets these things it makes you think more in the future."

He said it was Miss Widdecombe's first offence in 30 years of driving.

She was caught speeding three weeks ago at about the same time as Home Secretary Jack Straw's official car was stopped while doing 103mph on the M5.

Mr Straw's unmarked Jaguar was being driven by his armed bodyguard when it was pulled over.

Ann Widdecombe: Regrets speeding incident

Mr Straw was travelling to a Labour Party meeting in Exeter on 9 July.

Miss Widdecombe, who is on holiday in Singapore, only bought her metallic turquoise £12,000 Ford Focus a few months ago.

She expressed her dismay last month when two men caught speeding by a camera avoided conviction when they refused to say who was driving.

The judge in the case ruled he could not ask the men to incriminate themselves - as it would breach the European Convention on Human Rights.