Nadine Dorries has announced she is quitting as an MP for immediate effect.
She has just tweeted: “I have today informed the chief whip that I am standing down as the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, with immediate effect”.
“It has been an honour to serve as the MP for such a wonderful constituency but it is now time for another to take the reins.”
Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list is expected this afternoon, and is set to result in a number of by-elections for Rishi Sunak as more Tory MPs are expected to be elevated to the House of Lords, including Nigel Adams and Alister Jack.
This morning it was reported Nadine Dorries would miss out on the gong, as No. 10 are concerned a by-election in Mid Bedfordshire will prove difficult for the Conservative Party.
The LibDems have been warning they could take the seat.
Following Nadine Dorries’ resignation, a Tory MP told the Spectator: “If the Tories lose the Mid-Beds by-election then it will open questions about Rishi Sunak’s leadership”.
Ms Dorries currently sits on an enormous majority of 24,664, though the LibDems managed to win the seat of Tiverton and Honiton in 2022 despite a 24,239 majority.
This morning, Nadine Dorries told TalkTV: “The last thing I would want to do is cause a by-election in my constituency”.
The Express can also reveal other top advisors rumoured to be on Boris Johnson’s honours list, including Shelley Williams-Walker, Rob Oxley and close Carrie friend Ben Mallet.
Sir Alok Sharma, the former President of COP26, was also expected to get a peerage, but like Nadine Dorries it was reported his was being held back by Rishi Sunak to avoid a by-election in his tight marginal Reading constituency.
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This afternoon the Times revealed the Tory MP and close Boris ally Conor Burns is also set to receive an honour, as is Martyn Reynolds who sent the infamous ‘BYOB’ party invitation to Downing Street staff during Lockdown.
Responding to Nadine Dorries’ resignation, the LibDems said: “This is a rural seat in the heart of the blue wall, we are in it to win it.”
This afternoon a Cabinet Office source confirmed Mr Johnson’s resignation list is expected shortly.
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This morning it was revealed Mr Johnson’s father, Stanley, is no longer on course to get a knighthood.
Allies of Rishi Sunak had warned of the “repetitional cost” of giving such an honour to Boris Johnson’s father, especially given Mr Johnson already elevated his MP brother Jo to the House of Lords in July 2020.
Despite the three high-profile changes, it’s still thought Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list is 50-strong.
The list had faced wider objections, but Rishi Sunak concluded Boris Johnson was entitled to the traditional resignation list.
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