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 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20217901

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Nadine Dorries MP faces I'm a Celebrity criticism Nadine Dorries suspended as Tory MP in I'm a Celebrity row
(35 minutes later)
  
Tory MP Nadine Dorries is under fire over her decision to join ITV1's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. Nadine Dorries has been suspended by the Conservative Party over her decision to appear on ITV1's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.
Ms Dorries, who represents Mid Bedfordshire, will be the first MP to take part in the show. The Mid-Bedfordshire MP has had the whip withdrawn, a party source said.
But she could be in Australia, where it is filmed, for a month, potentially missing important Commons votes. Ms Dorries will be the first sitting MP to appear on the show, which could see her being away from her job in the Commons for up to a month.
Giving her reaction, Home Secretary Theresa May said: "Frankly, I think an MP's job is in their constituency and in the House of Commons." The chief whip will meet her when she returns from Australia, when she will be expected to explain herself.
But Prime Minister David Cameron - who has publicly clashed with Ms Dorries in the past - refused to be drawn into the row, saying: "Nadine Dorries can speak for herself on this issue." The Conservative Party is concerned about Ms Dorries' inability to do parliamentary and constituency business while she is taking part in the programme.
Nadine Dorries has left the political jungle at Westminster for the actual jungle in Australia, but her trip down under puts her in potential danger - not from the bugs and the reptiles but from fellow politicians. Ms Dorries has said she wants to use her appearance on the reality show to raise awareness of issues she is interested in, such as reducing the time limit on abortions from 24 weeks to 20 weeks.
She believes her trip to the other side of the world will help get her political message across to people back home - giving her a mass audience for her views on reducing the time limit for abortions for example. "I'm doing the show because 16 million people watch it. Rather than MPs talking to other MPs about issues in Parliament, I think MPs should be going to where people go," she href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2228512/I-m-Celebrity-2012-line-Tory-MP-Nadine-Dorris-heads-jungle.html" >told the Daily Mail.
But while reality shows are packed full of figures from the political past, the only other sitting MP to have committed to a show that could take them from their place of work for a month was Respect's George Galloway (remember him impersonating a cat on Celebrity Big Brother?).
But he was the only MP from his party in the Commons.
Nadine Dorries is an independent spirit - she described the Prime Minister and Chancellor as "arrogant posh boys" after all - but in big parties you have to work with others. And some of her fellow MPs are seething that she will miss crucial votes on Europe and the government's spending plans.
And activists in her Mid Beds constituency are dumbfounded that she didn't share her travel plans with them. They say her trip could undermine her work as an MP.
Nadine Dorries once used her blog to denounce the celebrity culture in this country - now she is the subject of denunciation from members of her own party.
Senior officials at Ms Dorries' Mid Beds Conservative constituency association are holding an emergency meeting later to discuss her decision and are expected to issue a statement.
They have told told the BBC they have not had confirmation from the MP, or anyone else, that she is taking part in the programme despite trying to find out.
The line-up of those taking part in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here has yet to be officially announced.
But Ms Dorries had already arrived in Queensland, Australia, for the programme and will be among those taking part.
She told the Daily Mail she was taking part in order to raise awareness of issues she is interested in, such as reducing the time limit on abortions from 24 weeks to 20 weeks.
"I'm doing the show because 16 million people watch it. Rather than MPs talking to other MPs about issues in Parliament, I think MPs should be going to where people go.
"I'm not going in there to upset people, but I have opinions. There are certain causes that I'm interested in, one of which is '20 Weeks'."I'm not going in there to upset people, but I have opinions. There are certain causes that I'm interested in, one of which is '20 Weeks'.
"I will be talking about this issue around the campfire. I hope there will be some lively, heated debates.""I will be talking about this issue around the campfire. I hope there will be some lively, heated debates."
Theresa May told ITV's This Morning programme it was up to individual MPs "to decide how they're going to do their job and it's up to Nadine to decide how she wants to do her job" - but she added that an MP's job was in their constituency and the House of Commons. 'Horrified'
But she has come in for criticism over her decision to enter the celebrity jungle, with Home Secretary Theresa May saying: "Frankly, I think an MP's job is in their constituency and in the House of Commons."
Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston said Ms Dorries should resign.
Speaking about her colleague's decision to take part in I'm a Celebrity, she told BBC Radio 4's PM: "I was horrified, frankly, I think it just makes her look ridiculous and it brings politics into disrepute.
"I think politicians have to decides sometimes whether they want to be celebrities or whether they want to do a serious job, which is about representing their constituents in Parliament."
Paul Duckett, chairman of the Mid-Bedforshire Conservative association, said members may consider sacking Ms Dorries over her appearance on the show.
Mr Duckett told the PM programme he only learned about Ms Dorries appearance when media arrived in the constituency on Tuesday morning.
The association is holding an emergency meeting on Tuesday evening.
Mr Duckett said Ms Dorries was a hard-working MP but the appearance might "detract from the gravitas" of MPs.
"If she's doing something completely outrageous that does detract from the credibility of the parliamentary system then the membership of the association will be the ones to decide whether they wish her to remain," he said.
"If it does denigrate Parliament and her credibility and her status to be able to carry on doing the job then of course we'll have to take action."
Prime Minister David Cameron - who has publicly clashed with Ms Dorries in the past - earlier refused to be drawn into the row, saying: "Nadine Dorries can speak for herself on this issue."
Relations between No 10 and Ms Dorries, a former nurse, have been strained since the prime minister made a joke at her expense in the Commons, describing her as "frustrated". He subsequently apologised.Relations between No 10 and Ms Dorries, a former nurse, have been strained since the prime minister made a joke at her expense in the Commons, describing her as "frustrated". He subsequently apologised.
Ms Dorries grabbed headlines by describing Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne as "two arrogant posh boys" who were out of touch with the real world.Ms Dorries grabbed headlines by describing Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne as "two arrogant posh boys" who were out of touch with the real world.
Former Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik, who took part in I'm a Celebrity in 2010 after losing his seat, tweeted his support for Ms Dorries: "Good on Nadine Dorries for the jungle if she's really going in. Go gal!"Former Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik, who took part in I'm a Celebrity in 2010 after losing his seat, tweeted his support for Ms Dorries: "Good on Nadine Dorries for the jungle if she's really going in. Go gal!"
'Z-list celebrity''Z-list celebrity'
But former Tory MP Louise Mensch, who recently resigned from the Commons for family reasons and who has had a well-publicised spat with Ms Dorries over her decision, tweeted: "Nothing sadder than a politician, or ex-politician, on any of those shows.But former Tory MP Louise Mensch, who recently resigned from the Commons for family reasons and who has had a well-publicised spat with Ms Dorries over her decision, tweeted: "Nothing sadder than a politician, or ex-politician, on any of those shows.
"Just imagining the scene in the whips' office if I said I wanted to skip Parliament for weeks to go on a celebrity TV show.""Just imagining the scene in the whips' office if I said I wanted to skip Parliament for weeks to go on a celebrity TV show."
In February 2010, Ms Dorries took part in the Channel 4 documentary series Tower Block of Commons, in which MPs moved in with benefit claimants on a deprived council estate.In February 2010, Ms Dorries took part in the Channel 4 documentary series Tower Block of Commons, in which MPs moved in with benefit claimants on a deprived council estate.
The Taxpayers' Alliance, which lobbies for lower taxes and greater government efficiency, said: "While she is being a Z-list celebrity, her constituents will be without an MP."The Taxpayers' Alliance, which lobbies for lower taxes and greater government efficiency, said: "While she is being a Z-list celebrity, her constituents will be without an MP."
Defending herself against a backlash, Ms Dorries told the Daily Mail: "I've worked seven years as an MP and I've never taken a day off work in Parliamentary time. I've worked all through recess and I only had four days off this summer.Defending herself against a backlash, Ms Dorries told the Daily Mail: "I've worked seven years as an MP and I've never taken a day off work in Parliamentary time. I've worked all through recess and I only had four days off this summer.
"Parliament is in half-term while I'm there. I've not done anything to prepare for the jungle. I worked right up until I left the UK for Australia.""Parliament is in half-term while I'm there. I've not done anything to prepare for the jungle. I worked right up until I left the UK for Australia."
George Galloway, the only other sitting MP to have taken part in a reality game show that took him away from the Commons, when he spent three weeks on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, also faced criticism that he was neglecting his constituents.George Galloway, the only other sitting MP to have taken part in a reality game show that took him away from the Commons, when he spent three weeks on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, also faced criticism that he was neglecting his constituents.
He said he wanted to raise the profile of his fledgling Respect Party but later claimed many of his political statements had been edited out.He said he wanted to raise the profile of his fledgling Respect Party but later claimed many of his political statements had been edited out.