Widdecombe, 78, who was a prominent figure in Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK but no longer a member of parliament, was found at her home in rural southwest England on July 9 after being attacked the day before.
Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old man from northern England, appeared at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court charged with her murder.
He was not asked to enter a plea.
A bearded Kerry, who appeared in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.
At a later hearing at the Old Bailey court, Kerry was remanded in custody until his next appearance in October.
Police have said they believe Widdecombe was targeted although the motive remains under investigation.
Prosecutor Kashif Malik earlier said a camera inside Widdecombe's home had captured the attack.
Widdecombe had been due to be interviewed live on television on July 8 from her home but did not appear, Malik said.
The following day, her personal assistant asked her gardener to check on Widdecombe, and he found her on the kitchen floor.
Malik told the court that footage recovered from the camera showed Kerry enter Widdecombe's home where she was eating lunch and ask her: "Don't suppose you have bank cards and ID?"
Kerry, who was wearing black gloves and holding a hammer to his side so it was hidden from Widdecombe's view, then struck her 21 times, Malik said.
He added that Kerry had tipped Widdecombe out of her chair onto the floor before taking her wallet and leaving, having been in the property for approximately two minutes.
Speaking outside New Scotland Yard on Monday, head of United Kingdom Counter Terrorism Policing Laurence Taylor said detectives are still investigating any possible political or terrorist motivation.
Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, was a prisons minister in the 1990s and later became an MEP for the Brexit Party.
At the time of her death she was a spokeswoman on immigration and justice for Reform UK.
She also found fame outside politics on TV shows Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
with PA
