Jump to content

Nadine Dorries

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 85.255.232.150 (talk) at 11:19, 19 July 2023. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Right Honourable
Nadine Dorries
MP
Official portrait, 2021
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
In office
15 September 2021 – 6 September 2022
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byOliver Dowden
Succeeded byMichelle Donelan
Minister of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health[a]
In office
27 July 2019 – 15 September 2021
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byJackie Doyle-Price
Succeeded byGillian Keegan[b]
Member of Parliament
for Mid Bedfordshire
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 May 2005
Preceded byJonathan Sayeed
Majority24,664 (38.1%)
Personal details
Born
Nadine Vanessa Bargery

(1957-05-21) 21 May 1957 (age 67)[1]
Liverpool, England
Political partyConservative
Spouse
Paul Dorries
​
​
(m. 1984; div. 2007)​
Children3
EducationHalewood Grange Comprehensive School
Alma materWarrington General Hospital
(nurse trainee)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • nurse
  • businesswoman
  • author
Signature
Nadine Dorries's voice
Dorries explains the Online Safety Bill
Recorded 31 March 2022

Nadine Vanessa Dorries (née Bargery; born 21 May 1957)[1] is a British politician and author who served as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from 2021 to 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, she was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Bedfordshire in 2005.

Born in Liverpool to a working-class family, Dorries was raised in the city's district of Anfield and the nearby towns of Halewood and Runcorn. She began work as a trainee nurse in Warrington and subsequently became a medical representative. During her early career, she spent a year in Zambia as head of a community school. After returning to England, she founded Company Kids Ltd, which provided child day-care services for working parents. She sold the company in 1998. She was elected to the House of Commons at the 2005 general election for the Conservative safe seat of Mid Bedfordshire.

As a backbencher, Dorries introduced several unsuccessful private member's bills, including attempts to reduce the time limit for abortions in the UK and changes to the rules regarding counselling for the women involved, and the advocacy of sexual abstinence for girls in sex education. An opponent of John Bercow, she attempted to have him removed as Speaker of the House of Commons. She also clashed with David Cameron and George Osborne, describing them as "two arrogant posh boys". In 2012, she lost the Conservative whip after she took part in the reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! without informing the chief whip. The whip was returned in 2013 and she was re-admitted to the parliamentary party.

In July 2019, Boris Johnson appointed Dorries as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health. In May 2020, she was promoted to a minister of state. In Johnson's cabinet reshuffle in September 2021, he promoted her to Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Despite being invited to continue in the position, she resigned as Culture Secretary ahead of the formation of the Truss ministry, after Liz Truss took over from Johnson on 6 September 2022.[2] After stating in February 2023 that she would not seek re-election at the next general election, Dorries announced her intention on 9 June 2023 to stand down as an MP, which would result in a by-election in Mid Bedfordshire. On 14 June 2023 Dorries said that she would not proceed with her resignation until she had received data she had requested from the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) relating to why she was refused a peerage.

Early life

Dorries was born Nadine Vanessa Bargery in Liverpool on 21 May 1957.[3] Her father, a Catholic of Irish descent, was a bus driver who became a lift operator.[4] Her mother was an Anglican, and Dorries was raised as such.[5] She was brought up in the Anfield district of Liverpool, where she attended Rose Heath Primary School.[6] In 2016 Dorries said that she had been abused by Anglican vicar and family friend Rev William Cameron, who was made priest-in-charge at St Mary's Anglican church in Halewood in 1966, when she was nine. She was too ashamed to report this to her parents or authorities, but stories of child sexual abuse described in novels she wrote as an adult are based on her own experience.[7]

After primary school she attended Halewood Grange Comprehensive School[8] before moving with her family to Runcorn.[6] She grew up on a council estate and entered nursing in 1975 as a trainee at Warrington General Hospital.[9] According to an interview with The Times in 2014, Dorries's parents divorced during her adolescence. While training to be a nurse at 21, she shared a flat with her father. He died at the age of 42.[4]

Early career

From 1978 to 1981, Dorries was a nurse in Warrington and Liverpool according to a 2009 report.[10] Her CV when she was a parliamentary candidate in 2001 stated Liverpool and London as places where she worked as a nurse.[9] She left the Liverpool area after she married mining engineer Paul Dorries.

In 1982, Dorries became a medical representative to Ethicla Ltd for a year, before spending a year in Zambia (1983–84)[9] as the head of a community school, where her husband ran a copper mine.[11] In 1987 she founded Company Kids Ltd,[12] which provided child day-care services for working parents. The company was sold in 1998 to BUPA;[12] Dorries was subsequently a director of the health provider during the following year.[9]

As Nadine Bargery, she was selected as the prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) for Hazel Grove, near Manchester in spring 2000. Her candidacy split the constituency party, and she was briefly deselected in August[13] before being imposed by Conservative Central Office. Standing for the seat at the 2001 general election, she was unsuccessful in her attempt to succeed the Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew Stunell, who retained the seat with a majority of 8,435 votes.[14] Dorries worked for three years[15] as a special adviser to Oliver Letwin, when Shadow Chancellor, to sort out his relations with the media amongst other things.[8]

Parliamentary career (2005–present)

Dorries in 2021

Dorries won the Conservative candidacy for the safe seat of Mid Bedfordshire in 2005 on the retirement through ill health after a series of scandals of Jonathan Sayeed.[16] In 2009, she gave this account of her selection:

Three weeks before the 2005 general election I, a council estate Scouser, was selected as the Conservative candidate to represent a southern rural constituency. Because the vacancy occurred so quickly and so close to D-day, the party provided my association with a shortlist of seventeen candidates, of which about five were women. Following a long day of interviews in hot sunny rooms, the list was whittled down to a shortlist of three ... I was informed that I had been selected outright on the first ballot ... That pride, that sense of achievement, the knowledge that I was selected on the basis of my performance and merit above all other candidates on that day is what enables me to hold my head up high in this place.[17]

Dorries's account of her own selection appears to contradict a news report which The Times ran at the time, reporting that Conservative Campaign Headquarters placed a majority of women on the shortlist and pressed for the selection of a female candidate:

Mrs Dorries, who has three teenage children, easily beat her 11 rivals and won the plum safe seat on the first ballot at the selection this weekend. Party officials were thrilled that the seat has gone to a woman. Previously, only two women had been selected in the 17 safe seats where sitting MPs have retired. Senior party figures had made clear to local dignitaries that they would like the seat to go to a woman and presented the constituency with a shortlist of seven women and five men to underline the point.[18]

Dorries was elected to the House of Commons at the 2005 general election with a majority of 11,355, and made her maiden speech on 25 May 2005.[16]

Dorries initially supported David Davis to become Conservative leader in 2005,[19] later withdrawing her endorsement.[20] David Cameron, the successful candidate, though "represent[s] everything that through my life ... [I have] been suspicious of."[21] In May 2007, she criticised Cameron for ignoring the recommendations of the Conservative public policy working group in favour of grammar schools.[22] However, she did defend the selection of Liz Truss in 2009, whose Conservative candidature was called into question after an extra-marital affair was revealed.[23]

Dorries served as a member of the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee, although by November 2008 she had attended only 2% of sessions.[24] The committee then reformed as the Science and Technology Select Committee; she did not attend a single session.[25] In 2010, she was elected to the Health Select Committee.[26]

In May 2008, Dorries featured in the Channel 4 Dispatches documentary "In God's Name". The programme examined the growing influence of Christian evangelical movements in the UK and highlighted the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship's involvement in lobbying the British Government on issues such as abortion, gay rights and the enforcing of laws relating to blasphemy.[27] The programme included footage of an LCF representative meeting with Dorries to influence policy on matters where they had a common agenda.[28][27]

In February 2010 Dorries took part in the Channel 4 documentary series Tower Block of Commons, in which MPs stay with welfare claimants.[29]

Dorries was re-elected in the 2010 general election with an increased majority and a swing of 2.3% from the Liberal Democrats.[30]

In 2013, Dorries's daughter was reportedly among the highest-earning family members employed by MPs with a salary of £40,000–45,000 as an office manager, even though her daughter lived 96 miles away from the office. Subsequently, Dorries's sister was taken on as "senior secretary" with a salary of £30,000–35,000.[31] In reply to an enquiry by Ben Glaze, deputy political editor of the Daily Mirror, about the employment of her daughter, Dorries tweeted: "Be seen within a mile of my daughters and I will nail your balls to the floor... using your own front teeth. Do you get that?"[32]

In October 2013, Dorries described a fellow Conservative MP, Kris Hopkins, as "one of parliament's slimiest, nastiest MPs" on her Twitter account, and criticised Prime Minister Cameron's decision to promote Hopkins to a junior ministerial post within the Department for Communities and Local Government as "a really awful decision".[33]

On 29 May 2015, the independent candidate in Mid Bedfordshire, Tim Ireland, lodged an appeal against the result accusing Dorries of breaches of Section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 by making false statements about his character.[34][35] The development first emerged in early June after the three-week petition for such an action had expired.[36] The petition was rejected by the High Court of Justice because it was served at Dorries's constituency office and not her home address.[37]

Damian McBride email affair

In April 2009, Dorries stated that she had commenced legal action following the leaked publication of emails sent by Damian McBride, Prime Minister Gordon Brown's head of strategy and planning, which suggested spreading a rumour that Dorries had a one-night stand with a fellow MP, in an email to Derek Draper, a Labour-supporting blogger.[10][38][39] McBride resigned and Dorries denounced the accusation as libellous: "[t]he allegations regarding myself are 100 per cent untrue",[40] and demanded an apology[10] intent on exposing the Number 10 "cesspit".[41]

Brown subsequently said he was "sorry" and that he took "full responsibility for what happened".[42] Dorries threatened libel proceedings against McBride, Draper and Downing Street but did not carry out that threat. McBride paid Dorries an undisclosed sum, estimated at £1,000 plus £2,500 towards her costs.[43]

Expenses claims

In May 2009, The Daily Telegraph, as part of its exposure of MPs' expenses claims, questioned whether the property in Dorries's constituency, on which she claimed £24,222 additional costs allowance (for "secondary" housing costs), had been in fact her main or only home from 2007 onwards.[44] The newspaper also queried hotel bills, including one for 'Mr N Dorries': these had been disallowed by the Fees Office and Dorries said they were submitted by mistake. On 22 May 2009, she spoke on BBC Radio 4 and drew parallels between the McCarthy 'Witch-Hunts' and the press's 'drip-drip' revelation of MP's expenses, eliciting Cameron's public criticism.[45] She said everyone was fearing a 'suicide', and colleagues were constantly checking up on each other.[46] Later in the day her blog was taken down. It transpired that Withers, lawyers acting for the Barclay Brothers, the owners of the Daily Telegraph, had required the removal of the blog, on threat of libel action against the service provider.[47]

In January 2010, it was reported that Dorries was still being investigated by John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, regarding her claim for second home expenses.[48] There was some debate as to the location of her main home.[49] It was also reported that Dorries had claimed £20,000 in office expenses for work undertaken by a media relations and public affairs company.[48]

On 9 May 2010, two days after being returned at the general election for Mid Bedfordshire, The Sunday Times reported that Dorries was facing the first complaint about an MP's expenses claim of the new parliament. The newspaper reported that she had claimed around £10,000 for an annual report in 2007 on her performance as an MP, but that her former Commons researcher had never seen the report or worked on it.[50] Dorries insisted that she had indeed published the report, placing a photograph of it on her blog.[51] She subsequently told the Biggleswade Advertiser that the report was never printed and a credit note issued with refund on 13 September 2008.[52]

On 13 January 2011, it was reported by the Daily Mirror that police were investigating Dorries concerning her expenses. Three days later, The Sunday Times reported that police had since handed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration.[53] In February 2013, it was reported that Dorries was being investigated by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority over her expenses, although no specific details were given at this time.[54]

On 27 June 2013, Dorries announced she would no longer claim her personal expenses as an MP, but would draw on her salary for such costs. She argued that she would be in a better position to campaign for the abolition of the present expenses arrangements by doing so.[55] Dorries stood for election as a deputy speaker after one of the three posts became vacant. In the Commons vote during October 2013 she was the first of the six candidates to be eliminated, with 13 votes.[56]

Blog

A complaint from the Liberal Conspiracy website, regarding Dorries's use of the House of Commons' Portcullis emblem on her blog, had been upheld in March 2008, on the basis that Dorries "gave the impression it had some kind of parliamentary endorsement or authority".[57]

On 21 October 2010, the MP's standards watchdog criticised Dorries for maintaining a blog which would "mislead constituents" as to how much actual time she was spending in her constituency. Dorries announced: "my blog is 70% fiction and 30% fact! It is written as a tool to enable my constituents to know me better and to reassure them of my commitment to Mid Bedfordshire. I rely heavily on poetic licence and frequently replace one place name/event/fact with another."[58] Referring to her main home being in Gloucestershire,[59] she said: "I have always been aware that should my personal domestic arrangements become the knowledge of my political opponents, they would be able to exaggerate that to good effect."[58]

She gave an explanation of the statement to her local newspaper, in which she said that her whereabouts on her blog had been disguised, on police advice, because of unwanted attention. She also said that she made the statement in order to protect her staff and family.[60]

On 27 October 2010, Dorries partially retracted her 70% fiction claim, posting a blog entry which stated that "It also only takes any individual with a smattering of intelligence to see that everything on the blog is accurate, because it is largely a record of real time events. It was only ever the perception of where I was on any particular day which was disguised."[61]

The conservative journalist Peter Oborne suggested, in his Daily Telegraph blog a fortnight later, that Cameron should have "ordered Mrs Dorries to apologise personally to her constituents, and stripped her of the party whip there and then".[62]

In 2012, she was voted best MP on Twitter by the politics.co.uk website.[63]

Visit to Equatorial Guinea with other MPs

In August 2011, Dorries led the first delegation of Members of Parliament to Equatorial Guinea.[64] It is a small African country, but the third-biggest oil producer on the continent, ruled since 1979 by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. It has one of the worst human rights records on the continent.[65] She met the Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, Ignacio Milam Tang. She has been quoted as saying to him: "We are here to dispel some of the myths about Equatorial Guinea and also with humility to offer you help to avoid the mistakes we have made."[64] According to the official website of Equatorial Guinea, Dorries was one of nine MPs on the trip.[66]

Reality TV and temporary suspension

Wikinews has related news:

Early in November 2012, it was announced that Dorries had agreed to appear on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.[67] Other Conservatives objected to her decision and her constituents were "overwhelmingly negative" on local radio.[68][69] Neither the Conservative chief whip, Sir George Young, nor the chairman of the Mid Bedfordshire Conservative Association were informed of her absence from Parliament.[67][70] The Conservative Party suspended Dorries from the party whip on 6 November, after her confirmation that she was planning to be absent from Parliament.[71] John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, received a complaint about her behaviour.[72]

The series began on 11 November 2012, but on 21 November, Dorries became the first contestant to be voted off the show.[73][74] On 27 November Dorries met Sir George Young, who asked her to rebuild her relationship with the party. She then sat as an independent MP, but continued to deny the whip had been withdrawn, stating it had merely been suspended.[75]

On 8 May 2013, Dorries regained the Conservative whip without any conditions having been applied.[76] George Osborne reportedly objected to her regaining the parliamentary whip,[77][78] while commentators speculated that, should she not be readmitted, Dorries might join UKIP,[79][80][81] which had made gains from the Conservatives in the previous week's local elections.[80][82] Peter Oborne observed at this point that Dorries had still not declared the amount she was paid for her appearance on I'm a Celebrity... in the register of members interests, last published on 22 April, despite her promise to do so.[83]

Shortly after regaining the whip, Dorries floated the idea of joint Conservative–UKIP candidates at the next general election in 2015, with herself as such a candidate.[84] "This is not party policy and it's not going to happen", a Conservative Party spokesman told the Press Association.[85][86]

Following the publication of a report by the Standards Committee[87] on 11 November 2013, Dorries apologised in the House of Commons to her fellow MPs for two errors of judgement.[88] Her confidentiality agreement with ITV over her fee for appearing on I'm A Celebrity... had led to her refusing to disclose the information to Kathryn Hudson, the parliamentary commissioner for standards. In so doing, she had broken the MP's code of conduct.[89] The all-party standards committee said that she should never have agreed to such a clause in her contract. In addition, Dorries had falsely claimed that payment for eight pieces of work in the media did not need to be declared as they were made to Averbrook, her company, rather than to herself directly.[88] Andy McSmith, writing in The Independent at the beginning of December 2013, said that Dorries had finally disclosed her income (amounting to £20,228 in total) from appearing on I'm a Celebrity... in the register of members' interests.[90]

Brexit

In the June 2016 EU referendum, Dorries supported the Leave campaign and was critical of Cameron, who backed Remain. Dorries called for Cameron to resign during the campaign in May 2016, and submitted a letter of no confidence to Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee.[91]

BuzzFeed reported that in October 2017 Dorries had become confused about her party's position on Brexit after talking with a politics teacher about a key element of her party's position, Britain's proposed exit from the European Union Customs Union. The EU Customs Union is an agreement between EU members not to impose tariffs (i.e. import taxes) on goods passing across their mutual borders. From a semi-private discussion that BuzzFeed made public, it was suggested that Dorries believed the UK could leave the EU but stay within the Customs Union whilst at the same time negotiating free trade deals with other countries. Later in December 2017 she tweeted: "If we stay in the Single Market and the Customs Union, we haven't left."[92]

In November 2018, Dorries, who was strongly in favour of Brexit, said of the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated between the UK Government and the EU27: "This is a very sad place to be, but unfortunately, the future of the country and of our relationship with Europe is at stake. This deal gives us no voice, no votes, no MEPs, no commissioner".[93]

Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health (2019–2021)

When Boris Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, Dorries was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health at the Department of Health and Social Care.[94] She was promoted in May 2020 to the ministerial rank of Minister of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health.[95]

On 10 March 2020, Dorries became the first MP to be diagnosed with COVID-19. It is not known exactly when she contracted the disease, but it was reported that she had attended Parliament and visited 10 Downing Street before being required to self-isolate.[96][97]

On 14 May 2020, Dorries was criticised after she retweeted a doctored video from a far-right Twitter account which falsely claimed that Labour leader Keir Starmer obstructed the prosecution of grooming gangs while he served as Director of Public Prosecutions.[98]

In November 2020, Dorries attracted media criticism after rejecting an offer of cross-party talks to discuss a mental health support package for frontline NHS and care staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.[99][100] In March 2021, she defended the government's 1% NHS pay offer on the grounds that it would protect the financial support of those on furlough, stating that the "unprecedented" pressure on the UK's finances was behind the pay offer.[101]

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2021–2022)

On 15 September 2021, Dorries was promoted as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport following Oliver Dowden's appointment as Conservative Party Co-chairman.[102] She is a critic of what she believes to be elitism in the BBC[103] and wants to push for "BBC reform".[104]

In February 2022, amidst a controversy over a joke about Romani genocide, made by Jimmy Carr on a Netflix special, Dorries said that the government would bring in legislation to "hold to account" streaming companies for offensive content. She said there was no disconnect between this view and her previous opinions that "left-wing snowflakes are killing comedy".[105]

During the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election, Dorries was reported as considering herself as a candidate,[106] but ultimately did not stand and instead endorsed Liz Truss.[107]

In July 2022, Dorries personally granted Grade II-listed status to a plaque of Cecil Rhodes which she believed is of "special historic interest".[108] This decision attracted controversy as Rhodes has been labelled the "architect of apartheid"[109] because he passed laws in the Cape Colony which expropriated land from black Africans and effectively banned them from political participation.[108]

Return to the back benches (2022–2023)

On 5 September 2022, in anticipation of the appointment of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, Dorries tendered her resignation as culture secretary (effective 6 September) and returned to the back benches. Truss had asked Dorries to stay on as Secretary of State in her new government, but Dorries instead decided to step down to concentrate on writing books.[2]

On 9 February 2023, Dorries announced that that she would not seek re-election at the next general election, blaming "infighting and stupidity" that led to the resignation of Boris Johnson.[110][111] On 9 June 2023, she announced that she was "standing down" as an MP "with immediate effect" (which it was not, as this is a legal impossibility[c]), rather than waiting for the next election, which would trigger a by-election in her constituency.[112] On 14 June 2023 she said that she had submitted a subject access request to the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) and was waiting to resign until she had received all unredacted "WhatsApps, text messages, all emails and minutes of meetings" related to why she was denied a peerage.[113][114]

Writing in the Daily Mail on 12 June 2023, Dorries stated that she believed her removal from the peerage section of Boris Johnson's resignation honours list has been blocked by "sinister forces",[115] but which was reported as having been because of her failure to commit to resigning as an MP within six months to take up the peerage.[116]

Dories was one of 10 parliamentarians personally named in a Commons Select Committee of Privileges special report on the “Co-ordinated campaign of interference in the work of the Privileges Committee”, published 28 June 2023. The report detailed how said parliamentarians “took it upon themselves to undermine procedures of the House of Commons” by putting pressure on the Commons Privileges Committee investigation into Boris Johnson.[117]

Author

It became public knowledge in September 2013 that Dorries had signed a three-book deal for a six-figure advance;[118][119] her first book was published the following April.[120]

Her first novel, The Four Streets, which draws on her Liverpool Catholic background,[4] became a No.1 best-selling e-book with 100,000 copies sold in the format by July 2014, although print sales in hardback and paperback were significantly lower with, respectively, 2,735 and 637 sales by then.[121] Dorries's work of fiction gained mostly negative reviews.[122]

Sarah Ditum in the New Statesman complained that some of the sentences "read like clippings from Wikipedia"[123] while Christopher Howse, writing for The Daily Telegraph, described The Four Streets as "the worst novel I've read in 10 years".[124] "You should read the next one. It's much better", Dorries told Ann Treneman of The Times.[4]

By 2022, Dorries had published 16 books and announced a series of six more with publisher Head of Zeus.[125]

Political views

Dorries, described as "a right-wing, working-class Conservative",[126] is a member of the socially conservative Cornerstone Group.[citation needed]

Abortion time limits and counselling

Dorries says she witnessed "botched" abortions on two occasions,[11][127] an experience that influenced her campaign to lower the point during a pregnancy at which an abortion can be performed.[128]

On 31 October 2006, Dorries introduced a private member's bill in the House of Commons, which would have reduced the time limit for abortion in Great Britain from 24 to 21 weeks; introduced a ten-day 'cooling-off' period for women wishing to have an abortion, during which time the woman would be required to undergo counselling; and accelerate access to abortion at the end of the cooling-off period.[129][130] Dorries said she had received death threats from activists and was given police protection.[130] Parliament voted by 187 to 108 to reject the bill.[131]

In May 2008, Dorries tabled an amendment to the proposed Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill seeking to reduce the upper limit for abortions from the current 24 weeks of pregnancy to 20 weeks. Reportedly written by Andrea Williams,[132] then of The Lawyers' Christian Fellowship,[133] Dorries has denied that her campaigning on the abortion issue receives funding from Christian fundamentalist groups, although Dorries's website for the "20 Reasons for 20 Weeks" campaign in 2008 was registered by Christian Concern For Our Nation (CCFON), another organisation with which Williams is involved; one of the pressure group's interns set up the website without charge to Dorries.[134] According to Guardian journalist Kira Cochrane, it was the greatest challenge to women's abortion rights in nearly 20 years.[135] Andrea Williams (now director of Christian Concern and Christian Legal Centre) was a team member of the campaign.[136] In the Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, "In God's Name", Dorries was asked how closely she worked with Williams and Dorries replied, "Closely? We've been stuck to the hip. Very closely."[137] In reference to her campaign, Dorries also said:

What goes on in here would have no structure whatsover, no sense of achievement if it wasn't for people like Andrea on the outside. You know, the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, the Medical Christian Fellowship on this particular issue are absolutely vital because they give us the information.[137]

Dorries's amendment was defeated by 332 votes to 190, with a separate 22-week limit opposed by 304 votes to 233. A majority of MPs continued to support the 24-week limit.[138] She said of her tactics on this issue in 2007: "If I were to argue that all abortions should be banned, the ethical discussions would go round in circles ... My view is that the only way forward is to argue for a reduction in the time limit ... it's every baby's right to have a life."[139]

Dorries proposed amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill 2011 which would have blocked abortion services such as BPAS and Marie Stopes International from providing counselling services. She argued that these organisations had a vested financial interest in encouraging abortions,[140] but according to Zoe Williams "independent" counselling services could be "faith-based groups" intent on discouraging women from having an abortion.[141] Cameron's government at first supported the proposal, but later changed its mind,[142] reportedly because then-Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg was opposed to the change.[143]

Dorries's criticism of Cameron's policy shift was supported by some commentators such as Cristina Odone,[144] who shared Dorries' concerns.[145] Clegg's apparent opposition was, for Dorries, a means of "blackmailing our Prime Minister",[146] and a question regarding Liberal Democrats' influence was the source of Cameron's description of Dorries as "extremely frustrated" at Prime Minister's questions on 7 September.[147] Cameron was criticised by feminists[148][149] among others for the comment, and subsequently apologised.[150]

The issue of abortion counselling was debated in the Commons immediately following this incident. The motion was originally seconded by Labour MP Frank Field, but he withdrew his support after Health Minister Anne Milton intervened to suggest the Government would support the spirit of Dorries's amendment.[151] The amendment was defeated by 368 votes to 118, a majority of 250.[152] Despite this, Dorries claimed a victory because of Milton's comments.[151]

Abstinence advocacy for girls in sex education

On 4 May 2011, Dorries proposed a bill to require that sex education in schools should include content promoting abstinence to girls aged 13–16, which was presented as teaching them "how to say no".[153] While sex education already mentions the option of abstinence, the bill would have required active promotion of abstinence to girls, with no such requirement in the education provided to boys. Owing to Dorries's claims about practices used in teaching about sex, Sarah Ditum in The Guardian accused Dorries of making Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) "sound like a terrifying exercise in depravity".[154]

The Bill drew criticism from healthcare and sex education professionals, questioning claims made during the Bill's reading.[155] Labour MP Chris Bryant described the Bill as being "the daftest piece of legislation I have seen".[156]

The Sexual Abstinence Bill was set for second reading on 20 January 2012 (Bill 185),[157] after she was granted leave to introduce the Bill on a vote of 67 to 61 on 4 May 2011.[158] The Bill, placed eighth on the order paper, was withdrawn shortly before its second reading.[159]

Same-sex marriage

Dorries opposed the government's successful legislation to introduce same-sex marriage. In May 2012, on the Conservative Home website she wrote: "Gay marriage is a policy which has been pursued by the metro elite gay activists and needs to be put into the same bin [as reform of the House of Lords]".[160][161] In an interview with Mehdi Hasan in October 2012, Dorries said she favoured gay marriage, but only after Britain has left the European Convention on Human Rights.[162] In an exchange with Iain Dale around the same time, she speculated that the issue could cost her party four million votes at the next general election.[163]

In February 2013, at the time of the Bill's second reading in the House of Commons, she argued that the bill avoided the issue of consummation and thus contradicted the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, and therefore did not make gay marriage equal to heterosexual marriage.[164] She also argued that there was no provision for adultery, or faithlessness, as it might apply to gay couples because the term applies to heterosexual couples only.[165][166]

Burka ban

In August 2018, Boris Johnson was criticised for a column that he had written in the Daily Telegraph. As part of an article discussing the introduction of a burka ban in Denmark, Johnson said that Muslim women who wore burkas "look like letter boxes" and the garment gave them the appearance of "bank robbers", although the point of the article was to condemn governments who tell "a free-born adult woman what she may or may not wear, in a public place, when she is simply minding her own business". Dorries, however, said that Johnson "did not go far enough", saying the burka should have no place in Britain and it was "shameful that countries like France and Denmark are way ahead of us on this".[167] On 7 August 2018, Dorries tweeted "No woman in a liberal, progressive society should be forced to cover up her beauty or her bruises."[168]

Speaker John Bercow

Prior to John Bercow's election as Speaker of the House of Commons in June 2009, Dorries accused him of opportunism and disloyalty to the Conservative Party. She described his election as "a two-fingered salute to the British people from Labour MPs, and to the Conservative Party".[169] After Bercow's wife, Sally, was approved as a Labour parliamentary candidate and gave an interview about her personal life, Dorries argued that the Bercows were damaging the historic respect accorded to the office of speaker.[170]

Dorries was reportedly part of a plot to oust Bercow from the speaker's chair in the run-up to the 2010 general election,[171] and, after the election, sent an email to all new MPs advocating his removal.[172]

Cameron, Clegg and Osborne

On 6 March 2012, Dorries criticised Cameron and Nick Clegg of the coalition government over their taxation policies. Referring to the proposed cuts in child benefit, she told the Financial Times, "The problem is that policy is being run by two public schoolboys who don't know what it's like to go to the supermarket and have to put things back on the shelves because they can't afford it for their children's lunchboxes. What's worse, they don't care, either".[173] She again criticised Cameron, and also George Osborne, in similar terms on 23 April, calling them "two arrogant posh boys who don't know the price of milk – who show no remorse, no contrition and no passion to want to understand the lives of others".[174][175]

Osborne said on The Andrew Marr Show on 6 May 2012: "Nadine Dorries, for the last seven years, I don't think has agreed with anything either myself, David Cameron, or indeed most Conservatives in the leadership of the party have done."[176] In the summer of 2012, Dorries criticised Osborne again for sending a badly briefed junior Treasury minister, Chloe Smith, to deputise for him on Newsnight in order to defend a government U-turn on fuel duty.[177]

All-women shortlists

In a debate on Woman's Hour, broadcast on 22 August 2001, Dorries (as Nadine Bargery) had advocated all-women shortlists if the behaviour of Conservative selection committees did not change.[178] In 2009 though, Dorries was highly critical of Cameron's proposal to consider using all-women shortlists, arguing against a move which would create "two classes of MPs". She wrote that "Sometimes I feel sorry for some of the Labour women who were selected via all-women shortlists. Everyone knows who they are. They are constantly derided."[17]

Benefit claimants

In October 2010, Dorries suggested that benefit claimants who made more than 35,000 postings on Twitter should be reported to the Department for Work and Pensions. On being told by the Bedfordshire on Sunday newspaper that one of her constituents was out of work because of ill health and had posted more than 37,000 tweets, Dorries told the newspaper that her constituent's tweeting gave housebound disabled people a bad name.[179]

Personal life

Dorries married mining engineer Paul Dorries in 1984 with whom she had three daughters before separating in 2007 and subsequently divorcing.[1][180]

Dorries has dyslexia.[181][182][183]

Honours

Dorries was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council on 20 September 2021 at Balmoral Castle.[184] This gave her the honorific prefix "The Right Honourable" for life.[185]

Awards

In 2008, Dorries won The Spectator's Readers' Representative Award.[186]

Bibliography

  • The Four Streets Saga series
    • The Four Streets (volume 1), Head of Zeus, April 2014, ISBN 978-1-78185-757-1
    • Hide Her Name (volume 2), Head of Zeus, December 2014, ISBN 978-1-78185-760-1
    • The Ballymara Road (volume 3), Head of Zeus, June 2015, ISBN 978-1-78185-763-2
    • Coming Home to the Four Streets (volume 4), Head of Zeus, 2021, ISBN 978-1-83893-905-2
  • Run to Him (short story), Head of Zeus, November 2014, ISBN 978-1-78497-110-6
  • A Girl Called Eilinora (short story), Head of Zeus, September 2015, ISBN 978-1-78497-473-2
  • Ruby Flynn, Head of Zeus, November 2015, ISBN 978-1-78408-217-8
  • The Lovely Lane series
  • The Tarabeg series
  • The Bellfont Legacy series (6 volumes announced)

Notes

  1. ^ Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (2019–2020).
  2. ^ As Minister of State for Care and Mental Health.
  3. ^ Members of the House of Commons are not permitted to directly resign their seats. A legal fiction permits them to effectively resign via disqualification by being appointed to one of two sinecure offices that are retained for this purpose. For more detail, see Resignation from the British House of Commons.

References

  1. ^ a b c Dorries (2017). "Dorries, Rt Hon. Nadine". Who's Who. A & C Black. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U45728. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Unknown parameter |othernames= ignored (help) (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ a b "Priti Patel and Nadine Dorries to step down ahead of new PM". BBC News. 5 September 2022. Archived from the original on 6 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  3. ^ Gimson, Andrew (11 November 2012). "Nadine Dorries: brave Tory rebel or a self-serving stunt woman?". The Observer. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Treneman, Ann (5 April 2014). "The contradictory Nadine Dorries". The Times magazine. London. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  5. ^ Lewis, Roz (8 March 2015). "Nadine Dorries: My family values". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Great grandfather George was Everton's first goalkeeper". Liverpool Daily Post. Liverpool: Trinity Mirror. 19 April 2008. p. 7. Retrieved 30 January 2010. [dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Nadine Dorries: I was abused in childhood by vicar". The Guardian. Press Association. 7 June 2015. The man, who is now dead, showed her a Playboy magazine as well as photos of him and his wife having sex, the Mid Bedfordshire MP told the newspaper. She claims he also used to visit her family home and perform sex acts near her when she was in bed.
  8. ^ a b Carter, Meg (8 January 2007). "The art of spinning: From PR to Parliament". The Independent. London. p. 8. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d "Candidate: Nadine Bargery, Conservative, Hazel Grove". Vote 2001. BBC News. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
  10. ^ a b c "Tory MP Demands Apology". Liverpool Echo. 14 April 2009. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012.
  11. ^ a b Nikkhah, Roya (4 November 2007). "The Tories' Nadine Dorries: Bridget Jones, MP". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 17 July 2018.
  12. ^ a b Anthony, Andrew (31 October 2021). "'She often speaks without thinking': Nadine Dorries, our new minister for culture wars". The Observer. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Tories in seat fight 'shambles'". Manchester Evening News. 3 October 2000. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015.
  14. ^ Morgan, Bryn. "General Election results, 7 June 2001" (PDF). Economic Indicators. ISSN 1368-8456. Research Paper 01/54. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  15. ^ "The world according to Nadine Dorries". The Daily Telegraph. 4 November 2007. Archived from the original on 1 September 2018., citing Dorries blog
  16. ^ a b Nadine Dorries (25 May 2005). "The Economy and Welfare Reform". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 738–740. Archived from the original on 24 March 2006.
  17. ^ a b "Nadine Dorries MP explains her fear that all-women shortlists will create two classes of Conservative MP". ConservativeHome. 21 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011.
  18. ^ Rosemary Bennett and Helen Rumbelow, "Tory joy as ex-nurse is picked for safe seat", The Times, 4 April 2005. This passage is reproduced by 'Unity': "So how did Nadine Dorries MP get selected?". Liberal Conspiracy. 27 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009.
  19. ^ Jones, George; Carlin, Brendan (7 July 2005). "Davis surges ahead in race to be Tory leader". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016.
  20. ^ Jones, George (20 October 2005). "Poll shows Cameron is runaway choice". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016.
  21. ^ "10 people Dave should fear: Nadine Dorries". New Statesman. 25 February 2010. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011.
  22. ^ "Cameron set for clash over grammars". Ananova.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  23. ^ Dorries, Nadine (17 November 2009). "Liz Truss case not typical of Tories". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016.
  24. ^ "Revealed: The MPs who skip select committee". Politics.co.uk. 8 April 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010.
  25. ^ "Formal Minutes" (PDF). Science and Technology Committee. House of Commons. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  26. ^ Robbins, Martin (26 June 2010). "Conservatives put Dumb and Dumber on the health select committee". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  27. ^ a b Modell, David (17 May 2008). "Christian fundamentalists fighting spiritual battle in Parliament". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  28. ^ Modell, David (19 May 2008). "Dispatches: Making a giant leap of faith". The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  29. ^ "Tower Block Of Commons, Series 1". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 5 October 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  30. ^ "BBC Election 2010 results website". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 May 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  31. ^ "MPs' expenses surpass pre-scandal levels as 150 give jobs to family". The Daily Telegraph. 13 September 2013. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  32. ^ Boyle, Darren (24 November 2013). "Tory MP tells Sunday Mirror reporter 'I'll nail your balls to the floor' in Twitter rant". Press Gazette. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  33. ^ Rawlinson, Kevin (8 October 2013). "Nadine Dorries launches Twitter attack on promoted Tory MP". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  34. ^ Green, Chris (10 June 2015). "Nadine Dorries faces challenge after general election smear campaign allegations". The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  35. ^ Perraudin, Frances (10 June 2015). "Nadine Dorries accused of making false claims about opponent during election". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  36. ^ Pidd, Helen (4 June 2015). "Deadline expires for legal challenge over George Galloway election defeat". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  37. ^ Green, Chris (30 July 2015). "High Court rejects attempt to unseat Nadine Dorries after legal documents sent to wrong address". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  38. ^ Hinsliff, Gaby; Tran, Mark (12 April 2009). "McBride and Draper emails: 'Gents, a few ideas'". The Observer. London. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  39. ^ Hennessy, Patrick (25 April 2009). "Tory MP Nadine Dorries to sue over No10 emails". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  40. ^ Dorries, Nadine (13 April 2009). "I have become accustomed to the grubby world of British politics. But nothing could prepare me for this". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011.
  41. ^ "Tory MP targeted in 'smeargate' emails wins damages from No 10 adviser". The Daily Telegraph. 29 November 2009. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017.
  42. ^ Sparrow, Andrew (16 April 2009). "Gordon Brown says sorry for Damian McBride email smears". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016.
  43. ^ Mulholland, Hélène (30 October 2009). "Tory MP Nadine Dorries 'has won damages from Damian McBride'". The Guardian. London. news agencies. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016.
  44. ^ Beckford, Martin (15 May 2009). "Tory MP Nadine Dorries admits she only spends weekends and holidays in her main home". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  45. ^ Mulholland, Hélène (22 May 2009). "Cameron rebukes Tory MP over 'McCarthyite witch-hunt' comment". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  46. ^ "MP's fears of expenses 'suicide'". BBC News. 22 May 2009. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009.
  47. ^ Hinsliff, Gaby (23 May 2009). "Telegraph lawyers shut down Tory MP's blog". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016.
  48. ^ a b Swaine, Jon (15 January 2010). "MPs' expenses: Nadine Dorries under investigation by sleaze watchdog". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 19 January 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  49. ^ Swaine, Jon (23 January 2010). "MPs' expenses: Nadine Dorries's neighbours to give evidence over second home claims". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  50. ^ Smith, Michael; Ungoed-Thomas, Jon (9 May 2010). "£10,000 claim makes Tory the first MP in an expenses row". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 22 December 2010.
  51. ^ "2007". The Blog of Nadine Dorries. 24 April 2010. Archived from the original on 16 July 2010.
  52. ^ Biggleswade Advertiser, 12 May 2010.
  53. ^ Claire Newell & Jonathan Calvert (16 January 2011). "Six MPs face new fraud allegations". Sunday Times.
  54. ^ Jones, Sam (15 February 2013). "Nadine Dorries under investigation over expenses claims". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 November 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  55. ^ "Nadine Dorries to stop claiming parliamentary expenses". BBC News. 27 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017.
  56. ^ "Conservative MP Eleanor Laing elected deputy Speaker". BBC News. 16 October 2013. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017.
  57. ^ Elliott, Cath (22 October 2010). "Nadine Dorries's trouble with the truth". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016.
  58. ^ a b "Nadine Dorries says her MP's blog was '70% fiction'". The Guardian. London. Press Association. 21 October 2010. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016.
  59. ^ Swaine, Jon (19 March 2010). "MPs' expenses: Nadine Dorries says 'main home' is tiny Cotswold cottage". Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017.
  60. ^ "MP rues claims of website blog 'fiction'". Bedfordshire on Sunday. 24 October 2010. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010.
  61. ^ Dorries, Nadine (27 October 2010). "The BBC were fair and balanced...gulp". The blog of Nadine Dorries. Archived from the original on 30 October 2010.
  62. ^ Oborne, Peter (12 November 2010). "Our Parliament is rotten to the core". Daily Telegraph (blog). Archived from the original on 14 November 2010.
  63. ^ Dunt, Ian (15 May 2012). "The Ten Best MPs on Twitter: One – Nadine Dorries". politics.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 October 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  64. ^ a b Birrell, Ian (23 October 2011). "The strange and evil world of Equatorial Guinea". The Observer. London. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
  65. ^ "Equatorial Guinea profile". BBC News. 8 May 2018. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  66. ^ "Guinée équatoriale: Une députée britannique à Malabo" [Equatorial Guinea: British MP in Malabo]. france-guineeequatoriale.org (in French). Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  67. ^ a b Mulholland, Hélène (6 November 2012). "Tory party suspends Nadine Dorries". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016.
  68. ^ McSmith, Andy (6 November 2012). "A new low in parliamentary history? Serving Conservative MP Nadine Dorries takes time out to appear reality television show I'm a Celebrity..." The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022.
  69. ^ "I'm a Celebrity: MP Nadine Dorries' constituents' views". BBC News. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017.
  70. ^ Thorpe-Apps, Andrew (8 November 2012). "Fad Nad Dorries: How celebrity can go to an MP's head". The Backbencher. Archived from the original on 8 September 2013.
  71. ^ "Nadine Dorries suspended as Tory MP in I'm a Celebrity row". BBC News. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018.
  72. ^ Mulholland, Hélène (8 November 2012). "Nadine Dorries TV appearance rouses parliamentary watchdog". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016.
  73. ^ Batty, David (22 November 2012). "Nadine Dorries voted off I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016.
  74. ^ Busk-Cowley, Mark (2014). I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!: The Inside Story. Bantam Press. p. 140. ISBN 978-0593073483.
  75. ^ Mulholland, Hélène (27 November 2012). "Nadine Dorries kept waiting for Tory whip to be restored". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016.
  76. ^ "Nadine Dorries reinstated as Conservative MP". BBC News. 8 May 2013. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017.
  77. ^ Hardman, Isabel (8 May 2013). "Exclusive: Nadine Dorries reinstated as a Tory MP". The Spectator (blog). Archived from the original on 10 May 2013.
  78. ^ Eaton, George (8 May 2013). "Nadine Dorries's readmission shows Cameron is running scared of UKIP". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013.
  79. ^ Eaton, George (3 May 2013). "Could Nadine Dorries defect to UKIP?". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013.
  80. ^ a b Newman, Cathy (7 May 2013). "How do you solve a problem like Nadine Dorries?". Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016.
  81. ^ The Mole (8 May 2013). "Tories forced to re-embrace 'Mad Nad' Dorries after UKIP threat". The Week. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015.
  82. ^ McSmith, Andy (7 May 2013). "After Ukip pain, Tories tread gently around Nadine Dorries". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016.
  83. ^ Oborne, Peter (May 2013). "How much did you earn in the jungle, Nadine Dorries?". telegraph.co.uk (blog). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  84. ^ Hardman, Isabel (18 May 2013). "Nadine Dorries interview: why I want to run as a UKIP-Tory joint candidate". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013.
  85. ^ "Nadine Dorries may stand for election as joint Tory-Ukip candidate". The Guardian. London. Press Association. 15 May 2013. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016.
  86. ^ Mason, Rowena (15 May 2013). "Nadine Dorries would be kicked out of Tories again if she stood on joint Ukip ticket". Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016.
  87. ^ "Fourth Report: Nadine Dorries". Commons Select Committee on Standards. 8 October 2013. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016.
  88. ^ a b Mason, Rowena (11 November 2013). "Nadine Dorries apologises to MPs over I'm a Celebrity appearance fee". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016.
  89. ^ "MP Nadine Dorries apologises over registering TV fees". BBC News. 11 November 2013. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018.
  90. ^ McSmith, Andy (2 December 2013). "Nadine Dorries reveals humiliation pays, but not as much as we thought it did". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018.
  91. ^ Simons, Ned (29 May 2016). "Tory MP Nadine Dorries Demands David Cameron Resign Over Brexit 'Lies' On Live TV". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  92. ^ "Here's A Leaked WhatsApp Chat Showing Tory Leavers' Confusion About One Of Their Key Brexit Demands". BuzzFeed. 27 January 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  93. ^ Drury, Colin (27 November 2018). "Leave-voting MP Nadine Dorries slams May's Brexit deal because UK won't have seats in European parliament". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  94. ^ Shepherd, James (29 July 2019). "New health ministers appointed by incoming prime minister". Nursing Times. Archived from the original on 22 August 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  95. ^ Dorries, Nadine (5 May 2020). "Honoured and thrilled to have been promoted today by BorisJohnson to Minister of State at DHSCgovuk where we are all working together in the battle against COVID19 Inthistogether StayHomeSaveLives". Twitter. Archived from the original on 10 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  96. ^ "Health minister tests positive for coronavirus". BBC News. 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  97. ^ "Health minister Nadine Dorries diagnosed with coronavirus". 10 March 2020. Archived from the original on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  98. ^ Walker, Peter (14 May 2020). "No 10 refuses to condemn Tory MPs who shared doctored Keir Starmer video". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  99. ^ Zorzut, Adrian (3 November 2020). "Nadine Dorries rejects mental health cross-party talks by telling Labour to 'win an election'". The New European. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  100. ^ "Minister refuses to meet Labour counterpart EIGHT times during Commons exchange". www.standard.co.uk. 3 November 2020. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  101. ^ "Nadine Dorries Claims Protecting 'Husband's' Pay Will Help Nurses 'Understand' 1% NHS Pay Rise". Politics Home. 11 March 2021. Archived from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  102. ^ Walker, Peter; Waterson, Jim; Allegretti, Aubrey (15 September 2021). "Nadine Dorries appointed culture secretary in reshuffle". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  103. ^ Chopper's Politics podcast LIVE from the Conservative Party Conference: Nadine Dorries, archived from the original on 1 December 2021, retrieved 12 October 2021
  104. ^ "Nadine Dorries: New culture secretary says BBC needs real change". BBC News. 4 October 2021. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  105. ^ Scott, Geraldine (5 February 2022). "New laws would hold Netflix to account over Carr's Holocaust joke – Dorries". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  106. ^ "Nadine Dorries considering Tory leadership bid to 'keep Johnson's flame alive'". The Independent. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  107. ^ "Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries back Liz Truss for Tory leadership". The Guardian. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  108. ^ a b "Nadine Dorries grants listed status to Cecil Rhodes plaque at Oxford college". The Guardian. London. 31 January 2018. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  109. ^ "Oxford University Will Keep Statue of Cecil Rhodes". The New York Times. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  110. ^ "'Infighting and stupidity': Johnson loyalist and ex-culture sec Nadine Dorries to quit as MP at next election". Sky News. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  111. ^ "Nadine Dorries to stand down as MP, admitting Tory election chances 'terminal'". The Independent. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  112. ^ "Nadine Dorries: Former minister stands down as Tory MP". BBC News. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  113. ^ Butterworth, Benjamin (14 June 2023). "Nadine Dorries says she will not resign from Commons until she has seen correspondence about Lords bid". i.
  114. ^ "Dorries delays resignation to pursue peerage answers". BBC News. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  115. ^ Rogers, Alexandra (13 June 2023). "Nadine Dorries claims 'sinister forces' were behind House of Lords snub". Sky News.
  116. ^ "A matter of honours: why there is a row over Boris Johnson's peerage list". The Guardian. 11 June 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  117. ^ House of Commons Committee of Privileges. "Matter referred on 21 April 2022: Co-ordinated campaign of interference in the work of the Privileges Committee". committees.parliament.uk. House of Commons. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  118. ^ "Nadine Dorries 'signs six figure' book deal". BBC News. 13 September 2013. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  119. ^ Wyatt, Daisy (13 September 2013). "Nadine Dorries wins six figure book deal". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  120. ^ Holehouse, Matthew (3 April 2014). "Holy Mary, Nadine Dorries' new book will be a best seller". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2022.(subscription required)
  121. ^ Flood, Alison (9 July 2014). "Nadine Dorries' novel The Four Streets reaches No 1 in the charts". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  122. ^ McSmith, Andy (10 April 2014). "Nadine Dorries's novel has received caustic reviews – but don't write off every MP turned author". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  123. ^ Ditum, Sarah (19 April 2014). "Begorrah! Nadine Dorries' The Four Streets is a bad novel, riddled with Shamrockese". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  124. ^ Howse, Christopher (7 April 2014). "The Four Streets by Nadine Dorries, review: 'the worst novel I've read in 10 years'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  125. ^ "Nadine Dorries | Head of Zeus". Head of Zeus. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  126. ^ Ian Hernon "MPs face tough vote on lowering abortion limit", Liverpool Echo 22 March 2008, p. 16
  127. ^ Treneman, Ann (21 May 2008). "Nadine is Queen for the Day as her marem looks adoringly on". The Times.
  128. ^ "Nadine Dorries reveals her Bridget Jones moment". Metro. 29 October 2008. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022.
  129. ^ Nadine Dorries (31 October 2006). "Termination of Pregnancy". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 155–156. Archived from the original on 15 October 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  130. ^ a b "Nadine Dorries, the anti life MP who Campaigned for Tighter Abortion Limits, Receives Death Threats". Bedfordshire on Sunday (12 November 2006).
  131. ^ "Termination of Pregnancy Ten Minute Rule Bill" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2007.
  132. ^ Williams accepts the "fundamentalist" label; see David Modell, "Dispatches: Making a giant leap of faith", Archived 29 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine The Independent, 19 May 2008
  133. ^ David Modell, "Christian fundamentalists fighting spiritual battle in Parliament", Archived 20 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine The Daily Telegraph, 17 May 2008
  134. ^ Hundal, Sunny (24 April 2010). "The right hand of God". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  135. ^ Cochrane, Kira (19 May 2008). "The end of choice?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  136. ^ "Fundamentally flawed". the Guardian. 21 May 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  137. ^ a b "Dispatches: In God's Name". Retrieved 5 September 2022 – via YouTube.
  138. ^ "Politics: MPs back 24-week limit". BBC News. 20 May 2008. Archived from the original on 30 March 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  139. ^ Nigel Bovey, "MP Calls For Lower Abortion Time Limit", Archived 8 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine The War Cry, No.6812, 2 June 2007, pp. 4–5
  140. ^ Dorries, Nadine. "I want to introduce more choice for those seeking abortion, not less". Archived 31 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 13 July 2011.
  141. ^ Zoe Williams. "Abortion advice from Nadine Dorries is classic backstreet politics". Archived 31 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 31 August 2011.
  142. ^ Polly Curtis, "Downing Street forces U-turn on Nadine Dorries abortion proposals", Archived 31 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 31 August 2011.
  143. ^ Donnelly, Laura; Leapman, Ben (3 September 2011). "How the row over abortion advice for women led to bitter political infighting". Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017.
  144. ^ Odone, Cristina (1 September 2011). "David Cameron is wrong about abortion counselling. He should have supported Nadine Dorries's plan". The Daily Telegraph (blog). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  145. ^ Odone, Cristina (29 August 2011). "Abortion is about money as well as morals". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011.
  146. ^ Churcher, Joe; Hughes, David (7 September 2011). "Lib Dem 'blackmail' on abortion bid". The Independent. London. Press Association. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012.
  147. ^ Mulholland, Hélène (7 September 2011). "Nadine Dorries storms out of PMQs after David Cameron quip". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016.
  148. ^ Bunting, Madeleine (8 September 2011). "Has the Nadine Dorries incident shown us the real David Cameron?". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016.
  149. ^ Barbara Ellen, "Frustrated? Yes, with you being a boor, Dave". Archived 31 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Observer, 11 September 2011.
  150. ^ "David Cameron says sorry to 'frustrated' Nadine Dorries". BBC News. 8 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  151. ^ a b Nicholas Watt "Nadine Dorries's abortion proposals heavily defeated in Commons". Archived 21 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian, 7 September 2011.
  152. ^ "Nadine Dorries amendment to health bill debated". Archived 8 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 7 September 2011.
  153. ^ Graeme Paton, "Teach schoolgirls to say 'no to sex', Tory MP says". Archived 16 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine The Daily Telegraph, 24 May 2011.
  154. ^ Sarah Ditum, "Nadine Dorries's abstinence bill is a definite no-no". Archived 9 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian, 5 May 2011.
  155. ^ Martinson, Jane (4 May 2011). "Nadine Dorries and sex education lessons for girls". The Guardian. London, UK. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  156. ^ Morris, Nigel (5 May 2011). "MP: Teach girls virtues of virginity". The Independent. London, UK. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  157. ^ "Sex Education (Required Content)". Archived 7 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine, TheyWorkForYou, 4 March 2011, citing Hansard.
  158. ^ "Sex Education (Required Content) Bill — 4 May 2011 at 12:47". Archived 8 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, The Public Whip. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  159. ^ Jessica Shepherd and Paul Owen, "Nadine Dorries's sexual abstinence lessons bill withdrawn". Archived 11 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 20 January 2012.
  160. ^ Nadine Dorries. "Nadine Dorries MP: Jettison Lords reform; Jettison gay marriage; and focus on jobs, crime and household bills". Archived 22 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Conservative Home, 6 May 2012.
  161. ^ David Skelton, "I'm Sorry, Dr Fox – Gay Marriage Isn't Just a 'Metropolitan Elite' Issue". Archived 18 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Huffington Post, 15 June 2012.
  162. ^ Mehdi Hasan "The Nadine Dorries Interview: On Abortion, Gay Marriage And Why She Wants 'Revenge' Against Cameron And Osborne". Archived 29 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, The Huffington Post, 31 October 2012.
  163. ^ "Gay marriage: Nadine Dorries and Iain Dale on Tory views". Archived 11 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 30 October 2012.
  164. ^ Corinne Pinfold, "Nadine Dorries: The same-sex marriage bill is 'political suicide' and it won't make gay couples equal". Archived 13 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Pink News, 4 February 2013.
  165. ^ "Gay marriage debate in quotes". Archived 2 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 6 February 2013.
  166. ^ Thomas Duggins, "Adultery and the same-sex marriage bill" Archived 16 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Spectator (blog), 13 February 2013.
  167. ^ "Conservative chairman calls for apology from Boris Johnson over burka remarks". BT News. 7 August 2018. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  168. ^ "Nadine Dorries on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  169. ^ "The John Bercow story". BBC News. 24 June 2009. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  170. ^ "Sally Bercow reveals past full of binge-drinking and one-night stands". The Times. London. 3 December 2009. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  171. ^ James MacIntyre (7 January 2010). "Speaker cornered". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  172. ^ The email is cited by Peter Hoskin, "Nadine Dorries' Kill Bercow email". Archived 25 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine, The Spectator (blog), 18 May 2010.
  173. ^ "Lib Dems and Tories wrangle over taxes". Archived 8 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Financial Times, 6 March 2012.
  174. ^ "MP Dorries calls PM and chancellor 'arrogant posh boys'". Archived 2 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 23 April 2012.
  175. ^ James Orr, "Nadine Dorries: David Cameron and George Osborne are just 'arrogant posh boys'". Archived 20 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Telegraph, 23 April 2012.
  176. ^ "George Osborne on Nadine Dorries' no confidence call". Archived 11 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 6 May 2012; transcript from Andrew Sparrow, "Nadine Dorries dismissed as serial rebel over resignation comments". Archived 10 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 6 May 2012.
  177. ^ "Nadine Dorries attacks 'submarine Chancellor'". The Sunday Times. London. 1 July 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  178. ^ "Tory women-only shortlists", Archived 28 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine Woman's Hour, 22 August 2000. RealPlayer file.
  179. ^ Keeley Knowles, "Blogger's upset at MP's Twitter claims", Archived 13 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine Bedfordshire on Sunday, 10 October 2010
  180. ^ Andrew, Gimson (11 November 2012). "Nadine Dorries: brave Tory rebel or a self-serving stunt woman?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  181. ^ Asthana, Anushka; Hinsliff, Gaby (1 July 2006). "Special needs education condemned". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  182. ^ Daly, Patrick (23 April 2022). "Nadine Dorries accuses commentators of mocking her dyslexia after video gaffe". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  183. ^ "Nadine Dorries slams critics for mocking her dyslexia after TikTok gaffe". LBC. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  184. ^ Tilbrook, Richard (20 September 2021). "ORDERS APPROVED AND BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL HELD BY THE QUEEN AT BALMORAL CASTLE ON 20TH SEPTEMBER 2021" (PDF). The Privy Council Office. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  185. ^ "'The Honourable' and 'The Right Honourable'". New Zealand Parliament. 27 August 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  186. ^ "Parliamentarian of the Year Awards Recipients 2008". The Spectator. 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 1 June 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nadine Dorries.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Nadine Dorries.


Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Mid Bedfordshire
2005–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health
2019–2020 		Succeeded by
Herself
as Minister of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health
Preceded by
Herself
as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health 		Minister of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health
2020–2021 		Succeeded byas Minister of State for Care and Mental Health
Preceded by Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
2021–2022 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Nadine_Dorries&oldid=1166105500"