Former Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Nadine Dorries who sparked controversy over her unconditional loyalty to former PM Boris Johnson and her allegedly questionable performance in Westminster, has just resigned as MP with immediate effect.
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Nadine Dorries was a subject to many parodies while holding her ministerial positions, with many Brits wondering if she was actually fit for her high-profile jobs.
But not many people are aware that politics was not her only career.
Her eye-watering MP salary is just a part of a fortune she regularly pockets from her side hustles.
In fact, she has so many extra projects going on that her own constituents lost confidence that she cared about them and asked her to hand her MP salary back.
Here is what we know about the reasons behind Nadine Dorries’ resignation and her six-figure earnings.
You can also find out how much Brits paycurrent PM Rishi Sunak, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf for their stressful jobs.
Nadine Dorries steps down as Tory MP
Former Conservative minister and culture secretary Nadine Dorries has announced her resignation as an MP saying ‘something significant’ happened to change her mind.
Although she previously mentioned she would not stand at the next general election, her latest move came as unexpected, especially since former PM Boris Johnsonhanded his Conservative whip back the same day.
Nadine Dorries’ departure means there will be a by-election in her Mid-Bedfordshire constituency, where she has a majority of 24,664.
Dorries had been expected to be nominated for a peerage in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, but she was not included in it and felt ‘slightly disappointed’.
She believes it’s ‘very rare’ for someone from her background - born into poverty - to get a peerage.
Former MP declined to give further details about the reasons behind her resignation but added she now had ‘other priorities’.
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Nadine Dorries was asked to hand £84,000 back: here’s why
Nadine Dorries sparked backlash after she was accused of spending too much time on her side hustles and neglecting her constituents.
It has been revealed that she has not spoken in the Commons for months and only voted a handful of times failing to represent her electorate’s views in Westminster.
Despite her absence, Dorries is still entitled to her MP salary of £84,000 per annum.
A Tory source said:
Nadine’s constituents in Mid Bedfordshire might wonder if she cares more about her new TV show and stumping for past prime ministers than she does represent their views in Parliament.
Critics urged Nadine Dorries to ‘do the right thing by the people’ she is meant to serve and hand the money back.
The source added:
If she doesn't want to do her day job, she should hand back her MP salary and let someone else do it.
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper also accused Dorries of being ‘too busy stuffing her pockets in TV studios’ and called for Rishi Sunak to ‘have the guts’ to remove her Conservative whip.
Nadine Dorries earned £157k from her successful career outside politics
Nadine Dorries’ MP salary is just a part of her earnings as she has several other successful careers.
She has written 15 books and pocketed around £157,000 after selling over 2.5 million copies.
Her first book was published in 2014 - nine years after her election to parliament as the MP for Mid Bedfordshire.
Her latest work - A Wicked Woman - was released in August 2021 and became a Sunday Times bestseller, with her publisher calling it an ‘ambitious and exciting departure for one of our most brilliant storytellers’.
Nadine Dorries has also started presenting a weekly television show on Friday nights on Talk TV. She has not yet declared how much she is getting paid for it.
Two years ago she was the 10th highest-earning MP in Westminster.
This year Theresa May tops the list.
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Sources used:
- Express: 'Nadine Dorries salary: How Culture Secretary earned £157k from writing books'
- Mirror: 'Nadine Dorries told to return £84k MP salary as she hasn't spoken in Commons for 8 months'
- BBC News: 'Nadine Dorries: Former minister stands down as Tory MP'