Former MP Nadine Dorries, known for her controversial actions and statements, once proclaimed her joy in moving to the serene and picturesque Mid Bedfordshire when she was first elected. She claimed that she, like many others, moved there to escape the noise of city life and embrace the peacefulness of nature. She promised to govern with integrity and always prioritize the needs of the people of Mid Bedfordshire, her new home.
However, it was later revealed that Dorries actually lived in Stratford-on-Avon and maintained multiple properties, including one in Stratford, while pretending to reside in Mid Bedfordshire. This complicated situation came under scrutiny when questions arose about which property was benefiting from parliamentary allowances. The parliamentary commissioner for standards had to untangle the web of deception and concluded that Dorries should not have expected to keep her true residence a secret.
Dorries, shamelessly, admitted that her statements on her blog were often fictional, citing the need to portray a certain image for her constituents. She claimed that her blog was 70% fiction and 30% fact, using poetic license to replace actual details with fabricated ones. She justified this by saying that her opponents would exploit her true location if it were known.
While it was entertaining to witness Dorries embarrass her colleagues, it highlights the flaws in the current system that allows undeserving MPs to evade consequences. Despite being temporarily suspended for appearing on a reality TV show without authorization, Dorries faced no long-term repercussions. Her constituents, who supported the Conservative Party, were unable to demand a replacement or reforms. Just a month after being readmitted, Dorries expressed her desire to compete on Strictly Come Dancing. The party indulged her arrogant behavior, greed, entitlement, and disrespect for public office for years.
Although it is challenging to determine Dorries’s role in normalizing excessive moonlighting among MPs, considering other politicians like Geoffrey Cox, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and Boris Johnson have also engaged in such activities, her ability to juggle political responsibilities, writing novels, appearing on TalkTV, and working as a Daily Mail columnist is particularly harsh for her constituents. Her website primarily promotes her TV appearances and books, lacking information about her political activities. Additionally, she frequently derides “posh boys” while employing her two daughters and supporting the controversial Stanley Johnson. Dorries also has a history of posting aggressive and misleading tweets. It’s almost understandable that she felt incredulous when she was finally denied a peerage, even without condemnation from the privileges committee for her role in attacking its members.
Dorries has a propensity for responding to criticism with denial, abuse, and even threats. She only apologizes when forced to and has displayed such behavior multiple times. When questioned about her expenses, she responded defensively. After losing her party whip, she called the suspension ridiculous, claiming that her constituents loved her. However, polling by Lord Ashcroft showed that a majority of her constituents disapproved of her appearance on the reality TV show. Despite this, they were expected to continue supporting her.
As Dorries’s extramural career flourished, she threatened the privileges committee investigating her failure to declare freelance payments for her TV and writing work. She called their inquiry a “witch hunt” and threatened legal action. The committee deemed her accusations unacceptable, and she had to apologize for not reporting £142,000.
Even after these controversies and her numerous book advances, Dorries was re-elected and eventually promoted to the position of Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport. One colleague defended her by claiming that her lucrative sideline in writing made her ideal for the role. However, her nostrils detecting the memory of a green field, as she claimed in a separate incident involving Channel 4, may be attributed to her unique creativity. The DCMS parliamentary committee expressed concern over her unsubstantiated attacks on Channel 4, and she questioned the amount of public money spent on what she deemed “nonsense.”
Dorries has kept herself occupied by writing a book about Boris Johnson, expected to be released soon and likely seeking further retaliation. Her colleagues would do well to remember her reliance on poetic license.
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