This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63158495
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Nadine Dorries accuses government of 'lurching to right' | Nadine Dorries accuses government of 'lurching to right' |
| (4 months later) | |
| Nadine Dorries served as culture secretary under Boris Johnson | Nadine Dorries served as culture secretary under Boris Johnson |
| Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries has accused the government of "lurching to the right", as she warned the Tories were facing a "wipeout" at the next election if it did not change course. | Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries has accused the government of "lurching to the right", as she warned the Tories were facing a "wipeout" at the next election if it did not change course. |
| Ms Dorries told the Times Liz Truss had made some "big mistakes" in her first weeks as prime minister. | Ms Dorries told the Times Liz Truss had made some "big mistakes" in her first weeks as prime minister. |
| Tory chairman Jake Berry said he did not understand some of her comments. | Tory chairman Jake Berry said he did not understand some of her comments. |
| The government has faced vocal opposition from some of its own MPs since its mini-budget on 23 September. | The government has faced vocal opposition from some of its own MPs since its mini-budget on 23 September. |
| The party's annual conference in Birmingham this week was overshadowed by internal divisions, after the chancellor U-turned on plans to scrap the top rate of income tax in the face of criticism from many Tories and turbulence in financial markets. | The party's annual conference in Birmingham this week was overshadowed by internal divisions, after the chancellor U-turned on plans to scrap the top rate of income tax in the face of criticism from many Tories and turbulence in financial markets. |
| Some cabinet ministers and senior Conservatives have also publicly spoken out against the suggestion increases to benefits including universal credit could be linked to wages rather than prices, which would amount to a real-terms cut. | Some cabinet ministers and senior Conservatives have also publicly spoken out against the suggestion increases to benefits including universal credit could be linked to wages rather than prices, which would amount to a real-terms cut. |
| Call an election, Dorries tells Truss | Call an election, Dorries tells Truss |
| Chris Mason: A display of dysfunction and division | Chris Mason: A display of dysfunction and division |
| Rebellion in the air over possible benefit squeeze | Rebellion in the air over possible benefit squeeze |
| Ms Dorries, who supported Liz Truss during the leadership election, told the Times: "You don't win elections by lurching to the right and deserting the centre ground for Keir Starmer to place his flag on. | Ms Dorries, who supported Liz Truss during the leadership election, told the Times: "You don't win elections by lurching to the right and deserting the centre ground for Keir Starmer to place his flag on. |
| "If we continue down this path, we absolutely will be facing a Stephen Harper-type wipeout. I'm sure [the prime minister has] listened and will stop and rethink." | "If we continue down this path, we absolutely will be facing a Stephen Harper-type wipeout. I'm sure [the prime minister has] listened and will stop and rethink." |
| Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau won a landslide victory against Mr Harper in the 2015 election. | Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau won a landslide victory against Mr Harper in the 2015 election. |
| Ms Dorries, who was a key ally of Boris Johnson, was asked by Ms Truss to stay on as culture secretary but chose instead to return to the backbenches when the new prime minister took over. | Ms Dorries, who was a key ally of Boris Johnson, was asked by Ms Truss to stay on as culture secretary but chose instead to return to the backbenches when the new prime minister took over. |
| She accused the government of shelving several of his policies, including privatising Channel 4, reviewing the BBC's licence fee, introducing the Online Safety Bill, and bringing forward new animal welfare legislation. | She accused the government of shelving several of his policies, including privatising Channel 4, reviewing the BBC's licence fee, introducing the Online Safety Bill, and bringing forward new animal welfare legislation. |
| She said abandoning Mr Johnson's policies was "a mistake", adding: "That was our mandate, our deal with the voters. Removing a prime minister and the policies people voted for less than three years ago is a troubling precedent to set in a democracy." | She said abandoning Mr Johnson's policies was "a mistake", adding: "That was our mandate, our deal with the voters. Removing a prime minister and the policies people voted for less than three years ago is a troubling precedent to set in a democracy." |
| Jake Berry disputed some of Nadine Dorries's comments | Jake Berry disputed some of Nadine Dorries's comments |
| However, Mr Berry told LBC: "I've seen some of the comments by Nadine, I don't understand some of them and some of them I don't agree with." | However, Mr Berry told LBC: "I've seen some of the comments by Nadine, I don't understand some of them and some of them I don't agree with." |
| "[I am] quite good friends with Nadine and I think she's a very fine individual and a very fine Conservative, but quite a lot of what we have done hasn't been just about cutting people's taxes - though of course people are getting the cut in income tax. Quite a lot of it is, you know, action on energy bills," he said. | "[I am] quite good friends with Nadine and I think she's a very fine individual and a very fine Conservative, but quite a lot of what we have done hasn't been just about cutting people's taxes - though of course people are getting the cut in income tax. Quite a lot of it is, you know, action on energy bills," he said. |
| He suggested the current tax policy is "very similar" to when Ms Dorries was in government. | He suggested the current tax policy is "very similar" to when Ms Dorries was in government. |
| There have also been divisions within the Tory party over whether benefits should rise in line with inflation - a pledge made by Mr Johnson. | There have also been divisions within the Tory party over whether benefits should rise in line with inflation - a pledge made by Mr Johnson. |
| Ms Truss has refused to say she would maintain that commitment. | Ms Truss has refused to say she would maintain that commitment. |
| Ms Dorries said increasing benefits only in line with wages would be "cruel, unjust and fundamentally unconservative" during a cost-of-living crisis. | Ms Dorries said increasing benefits only in line with wages would be "cruel, unjust and fundamentally unconservative" during a cost-of-living crisis. |
| In his interview with LBC, Mr Berry also said he regretted saying on Sunday people could get a better-paid job to cover their energy bills, adding that "my language was a bit clumsy". | In his interview with LBC, Mr Berry also said he regretted saying on Sunday people could get a better-paid job to cover their energy bills, adding that "my language was a bit clumsy". |
| Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has branded Ms Truss the "destroyer of growth", after she accused Labour of being part of an "anti-growth coalition" in her conference speech. | Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has branded Ms Truss the "destroyer of growth", after she accused Labour of being part of an "anti-growth coalition" in her conference speech. |
| In a round of interviews with BBC local radio, the Labour leader said increased mortgage rates were a "direct result" of the government's "kamikaze" mini-budget last month. | In a round of interviews with BBC local radio, the Labour leader said increased mortgage rates were a "direct result" of the government's "kamikaze" mini-budget last month. |
| Related Topics | |
| Conservative Party | |
| Jake Berry | |
| Nadine Dorries |