Student Activist Diary

“The PM publicly humiliated me in front of the entire nation, what did I do to deserve this?”, asked Nadine Dorries in her article for the Mail Online.

She is, of course, referring to this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions when she asked the Prime Minister when he was going to show Mr Clegg “who’s boss”.  This was met by raucus laughter from most in the chamber and an unexpected response from Mr Cameron: “‘I know the honourable Lady is extremely frustrated …[queue more laughter]…I’m just going to give up”.  For many supporters of the Coalition and of the Liberal Democrats this was an “in-your-face” moment, or, as a friend of mine put it, you almost expected someone to shout out “BOOM, headshot”.

Her response to this?  To write a vile article belittling the Government, belittling Mr Clegg and Mr Cameron and, frankly, belittling women.

She claims that Mr Clegg blackmailed Mr Cameron.  She claims that MPs were whipped to vote against her even though the vote had not been whipped. She even goes so far as saying that the Prime Minister’s comment was sexist.

What is clear is that Nadine simply can’t handle people in her party having views that differ from hers.  Two former doctors-turned-Conservative MPs were due to speak against her.  But clearly it’s not because they have minds of their own. No. Big, mean Mr Cleggy-Weggy bullied poor little Dave.  Newspapers ridiculed her. Not because she’s off the map but because the cabinet is obviously trying to undermine her.

What I find most concerning and distasteful though is that right at the end she tells of a text the PM allegedly sent her: “The next person to contact me was the Prime Minister.  His message began: ‘I am so sorry …’ He texted how much he had ‘desperately wanted to pass my amendment’, but that there had been problems.” It would seem Ms Dorries has regressed to the Terrible Twos.  It’s almost like watching a toddler in a supermarket throw itself to the ground and scream because Mum put the sweeties back on the shelf.

I fully accept that Ms Dorries has the right to defend herself and use her profile in the media to whinge, but writing an article in a newspaper which compromises the stability of this Government is incredibly unprofessional – especially over a non-issue.  In doing so she has ensured her career in politics will go no further and if I were in Mr Cameron’s shoes I would put an end to this embarrassment.