Minister suggests Dorries is not fulfilling her duties to constituents

A minister has questioned whether Nadine Dorries is fulfilling her obligations to constituents after the MP insisted she is “getting on with the work” despite saying weeks ago that she would resign.

Education minister Nick Gibb said his Tory colleague is not representing her constituents if she is not participating in the House of Commons.

He also called on Ms Dorries to clarify whether she will stay or go, adding: “People should do what they say they are going to do.”

He also acknowledged “concern” amongst MPs about “absenteeism” in the Commons.

Mr Gibb faced questions about Ms Dorries’s suitability for the role as he toured broadcast studios on Thursday morning, as the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, who still holds the Conservative whip, comes under increasing pressure locally and nationally to follow through on her decision to quit.

Ms Dorries announced in June that she would stand down with “immediate effect” in protest over not getting a peerage in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list.

But the Conservative former minister then said she would delay her departure while she investigated why she was not given a seat in the Lords.

Ms Dorries has not spoken in the Commons since June 2022, and last voted in April.

Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if Ms Dorries should resign immediately, Mr Gibb said: “Well, she did announce that she wanted to stand down.

“I think she should go ahead and fulfil that, or she can say that she doesn’t want to stand down and take part in the activities and voting and speaking in the House of Commons, representing her constituents.”

Asked if he believes she is representing her constituents at the moment, he said: “Not if she’s not participating in the House of Commons events and speaking and so on. I just think people should do what they say they are going to do.”

He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “She either has to do it or she has to say that she’s no longer going to resign as an MP and return to the work in the House of Commons.”

Asked on LBC about Ms Dorries’s constituents, Mr Gibb said: “I think it is important that they are properly represented.

“And Nadine, she did announce she was going to stand down. She needs to fulfil that if that’s her intention.

“It would be good to see her back in the House of Commons representing her constituents.”

Asked why she still has the Tory whip, he added: “That is a matter for the Whips’ Office and for the House of Commons. I know that there is concern amongst my colleagues in the House of Commons about absenteeism.”

Labour, the Liberal Democrats, Shefford Town Council and Flitwick Town Council have called on Ms Dorries to go.

Some senior Tories have expressed anger over the situation.

Caroline Nokes, chairwoman of the Women and Equalities Committee, told Times Radio: “She shouldn’t have the Tory whip if she’s made it plain that she no longer wishes to be a Conservative MP.”

Tory MP Damian Green accused Ms Dorries of “damaging Parliament” and said it would be “in everyone’s interest if she just went”.

But Ms Dorries told the News Agents podcast: “Myself and my team of four caseworkers are working daily with constituents.

“I understand that political opponents, such as Labour-run Flitwick Town Council, are choosing the summer and news hungry outlets in the summer recess to be noticed. However, we are just getting on with the work.”