Nadine Dorries slammed by watchdog for 'breaking ministerial code' with TV show
Nadine Dorries has been slapped down by Westminster’s revolving door watchdog over her forthcoming TV show.
The former Culture Secretary announced on Friday that she would be launching a chat show on Talk TV, to start in February - with Boris Johnson as her first guest.
But watchdog chair Lord Pickles was left fuming after she failed to seek advice from his body before taking the job.
All former ministers are required to ask the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) before taking a new job within two years of leaving government.
By failing to do so, Ms Dorries apparently broke the ministerial code.
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Jacob Rees-Mogg announced he would get his own show on GB News on the same day, but approached Acoba before the appointment was announced.
In response, Lord Pickles said the “risk you could be seen to have been offered this role as a reward for decisions made, or actions taken in office, was low.”
Failing to approach Acoba before taking a new job is a breach of the ministerial code (nadinedorries/Instagram)But he was told to be “careful not to offer any unfair insight as a result of your access to information and potential influence in government.”
In a letter to Ms Dorries on Friday night, Lord Pickles wrote: “The government's Business Appointment Rules that an application is required for all outside roles.
“As such, failing to seek and await advice are clear before the role was announced or taken up in this case is a breach of the government’s Rules and the requirements set out in the ministerial code.”
He added that her rule-breaking would be reported to the Cabinet Office.
Ms Dorries has landed in hot water over TV appearances before.
In 2013 she was stripped of the Tory whip after failing to inform party chiefs that she planned to jet off to Australia to take part in I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here, while the House of Commons was sitting.
She was later readmitted to the party, before being elevated to the cabinet by Mr Johnson.
Labour Party Chair Anneliese Dodds said: “Once again the Conservatives think the rules don’t apply to them.
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“It’s no surprise that Rishi Sunak's MPs are looking for new jobs, but the least we could expect is for former ministers to follow the guidance around appointments.
“ Rishi Sunak has been too weak to deal with his MPs and ministers so far. Is he strong enough to take action against Nadine Dorries?
"Labour has a plan to clean up politics with a genuinely independent Integrity and Ethics Commission to restore standards in public life."
To date, nobody has ever been sanctioned for breaking Acoba rules.
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