Nadine Dorries is facing a fresh attempt to force her out of parliament through a bill set to be tabled when parliament returns next month.
The ex-culture secretary is under huge pressure to formally resign – having promised to quit more than 10 weeks ago over her failure to land a peerage in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours.
But having threatened to stay on until Rishi Sunak’s government reveals documents on the decision, MPs are discussing ways to force a by-election in Ms Dorries’ Mid-Bedfordshire seat – whether she likes it or not.
The Liberal Democrats have vowed to table a “Dosser Dorries” bill as soon as parliament returns which would suspend her as an MP and trigger a Mid Bedfordshire by-election.
The party’s deputy leader Daisy Cooper said she is planning to table the motion on the first day of the parliamentary term on 4 September. If selected for a vote and passed, a 10-day suspension would trigger a recall petition and possible by-election.
“For months Nadine Dorries has treated the people of Mid Bedfordshire with contempt and taken them for granted,” said Ms Cooper – accusing her of being “missing in action”.
She added: “What’s worse is that the Conservatives just don’t seem to care that they’re letting people down. We need an end to this sorry saga, once and for all. Nadine Dorries must resign – if not then this government must do the right thing and force her to.”
The motion will note Ms Dorries’ promise to quit on 9 June, the fact she has not spoken in the Commons for over a year and has not voted since April, and adds that “the people of Mid Bedfordshire are not being properly represented in this House”.
Nadine Dorries has yet to resign, 10 weeks on from promising to do so
(PA Archive)
Signs have popped up in Mid Bedfordshire branding Ms Dorries a “dosser” and calling for her to resign. Two councils in Ms Dorries’ Mid Bedfordshire constituency also calling for her to quit.
But Ms Dorries has insisted that she is still “working daily” for her constituents after breaking her silence earlier this week.
She gave a short statement to the News Agents podcast saying that “political opponents, such as Labour-run Flitwick town council are choosing the summer and news-hungry outlets in the summer recess to be noted”.
The Johnson loyalist said “myself and my team of four caseworkers are working daily with constituents”, adding: “We are just getting on with the work.”
Senior Tories such as Caroline Nokes have joined Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in calling on Rishi Sunak to remove the whip if Ms Dorries failes to resign as promised.
Ms Dorries could face other pushes from MPs to force her removal if she fails to go next month. Labour MP Chris Bryant says an 1801 rule preventing MPs from going “out of town without leave of the house” should be reinstated.
The arch Johnson loyalist was furious at failing to win a peerage in her former boss’ resignation honours – alleging that “posh boy” Rishi Sunak had blocked it. She warned the PM that she will not formally quit until the government releases documents.