He declared that the club's views on race and immigration were incompatible with his plans to reform the party, and Watkinson was one of three Conservative MPs forced to leave the group.

[4] Watkinson is among a dozen or so MPs who hold the most firm record on sexual identity politics, disapproving of every piece of legislation supportive of homosexuality that has passed through the House of Commons.

[6] She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for public and political service.

[7] Watkinson has expressed opposition to the introduction of non-branded packaging for cigarettes; in a debate on this in 2014, Labour MP Diana Johnson pointed out that Watkinson had accepted hospitality and two tickets to the Chelsea Flower Show, worth £1,260, from Japan Tobacco, makers of Benson & Hedges cigarettes.

In spite of her background as a right-wing "lifelong Eurosceptic", she supported the Remain campaign in 2016 and opposed Brexit prior to the 2016 European Union membership referendum.