Published: June 25th 2009 - at 11:09 am

Today programme gives Dorries free ride over plot


by Sunny Hundal    

The Today programme was accused of giving Tory MP Nadine Dorries a free ride on Tuesday regarding the new speaker John Bercow.

A reader wrote in to Liberal Conspiracy to say she had sent a complaint to the programme after John Humphrys interviewed Dorries on Tuesday. In his preamble to Vernon Bogdanor interview, just after his Nadine Dorries interview at the 8.10am slot, he said that there was talk of MPs wanting to unseat the new Speaker, but Nadine Dorries was “not part of that”.

The reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she had not had a response from the Today programme after the complaint pointed out the programme’s producers had failed to do even cursory research.

She said:

I can’t imagine how the Today research team could possibly have missed Dorries’ vicious attacks on Bercow and his wife in the media lately, eg ‘Bercow is an oily opportunist lacking loyalty and courage… and I speak as a Tory’.

These were preceeded in a pledge on her own blog to unseat Bercow as speaker “by any means at her disposal”. Dorries’ blog says that her opposition to his Speakership is based on his disagreement with her pro-life views.

“Can we trust a Speaker who has such strident zealot views on such an issue [Abortion] to be fair, if he regards those in favour of reducing the number of abortions as prehistoric? I think not. Therefore, it is for this reason, more than any other, that I shall make my commitment to guarantee, by any means at my disposal, that should John Bercow become Speaker, I will do my best to make sure that it is one of the shortest served appointments in the grand, and glorious, history of that coveted chair.”
(16 June 2009)

The reader said it was “odd” that Ms Dorries’ motivation was not questioned in the Today interview where she was simply allowed to make a series of unchallenged assertions about the situation.

The Tory MP’s continued attacks on Bercow illustrate the usual blithe hypocrisy. Less than a month ago she wrote on her blog:

I’ve said before that the Speaker’s position and authority should be un-challenged. Over hundreds of years we have had good and bad Speakers, nice and nasty, competent and useless. It is the only position, along with that of the Monarch, which I believe should remain un-challenged in order to carry the authority needed to execute the role with dignity whilst commanding respect.[..] If this motion succeeds where will it stop? Will there ever again be any respect for tradition and heritage? For the procedures enshrined in stone, brought about by Cromwell and abided by since? Will the Queen be next?

The BBC has yet to respond to the complaint.


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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Story Filed Under: Blog ,Conservative Party ,Media ,Westminster


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Reader comments


Dorries calls someone an abortion-issue zealot.

Cue deep intake of breath.

2. rantersparadise

I’m enjoying more and more seeing Bercow in the chair. It really seems to be winding up those Tories!

It’s amazing really. How can people say we pick on Dorries, when she continues to pen such hyperbolic, jaundiced and suspicious shite?

I’ve written to the Today programme before to complain and I can tell you that you will probably not get a reply. Humphrys seems to find it harder and harder to hide his right-wing attitudes and this often manifests itself in either interviews which are free rides as mentioned here, or interviews which consist mainly of him barracking and cutting across (usually) Labour MPs.

If Humphrys is indeed rightwing, I have no problem with that. After all, James Naughtie has always been very Labour.

6. Richard (the original)

I fail to understand why she receives so much attention. Many Tories are embarrassed by her judging by past ConHome comments.

Evan Davis better than both.
Naughtie (especially) and Humphrys becoming unbearable.

8. Alisdair Cameron

Are you sure they don’t get her on simply to wind up the listeners in a misguided attempt to be ‘edgy’, interactive, provoke responses etc.
Often the best way of dealing with someone talking unacceptable cant and shite is simply to say, “yes, sure, very good, whatever” and quickly pass on by, not engaging, let alone taking what they say as a pillar for a conversation.

I’d just prefer they did their research rather than being right-wing or left-wing. This looks like lazy journalism.

10. Denim Justice

We all know the reason she gets so much attention is because she is stupid but (according to some) attractive.

OK

Which Labour female MP would you put up against her in a glamour competition?

Yes, exactly.

If only she wouldn’t insist on talking………

Caroline Flint beats Dorries any day of the week. And she’s (albeit just slightly) less annoying…

13. Kate Belgrave

Fellas – does every thread about female MPs on here have to reference shaggability? I’m glad to hear you’d give Caroline Flint one first, John, if she was in a queue with Nadine. Bet she’d be pleased to hear it, too.

Can I also make the point – if Nadine was on radio (not sure if the above was on telly or radio), nobody could see her, surely.

Blah.

How about a few of us girls post some interviews with influential women, and nobody mentions looks – just for the novelty value apart from anything else.

I propose to start with an interview with Ann Henderson, chair of abortion rights, re: BCAP’s proposal to permit advertising for abortion (have put a short post up at my site and will shortly add to it). We could talk about women who think, not ones who don’t, and not mention pretty faces, fannies, etc, even once.

Do us another favour too, and refrain from calling me a humourless menopausal die-hard, or crusty cunt, etc, when you’ve read this comment. Heard it all before, etc.

Love to all,

Kate

14. rantersparadise

I guess it’s too naive to hope one day we will go beyond the way a woman looks…

15. Richard (the original)

“Fellas – does every thread about female MPs on here have to reference shaggability? ”

If it makes you feel any better I don’t rate Dorries in that dept.

I’m in agreement with Kate here. The focus on looks is not only silly but allows her to play the victim card when there are bigger issues at stake here.

17. Neuroskeptic

I loved how she was basically saying “Labour picking Bercow was just playing party politics – TYPICAL LABOUR dontcha hate ‘em?”

18. Denim Justice

Fair enough. She is a bit of alright though, and I’d agree with John B that Caz Flint is glamorous. Those “red dress” pics were a step too far though. That’s just trying too hard.

19. Neuroskeptic

Oh sorry, I forgot to mention her looks in that last comment. Er… I wouldn’t, but she’s not bad for her age is she lads???

20. Kate Belgrave

‘Fair enough. She is a bit of alright though, and I’d agree with John B that Caz Flint is glamorous. Those “red dress” pics were a step too far though. That’s just trying too hard.’

Jesus wept, Denim. That’s exactly the kind of comment that gets on my hoary old tits. Does nobody wank in private anymore?

Richard: you get three points for trying.

Ranters: tis not too much to hope for, my friend. Let’s go and get it.

21. Kate Belgrave

Dunno, Neuro. Do you think she’s a real blonde?

22. Denim Justice

Sorry, Kate. Was meant in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, no offence or sexism intended.

23. Alan Thomas

Notwithstanding that I’m in agreement with Kate (and no, we’re not siamese twins joined at the head), have any of you lot considered how weird it makes you look to even vocalise about shagging Nadine Dorries? The woman is a right-wing lunatic, and thus automatically about as attractive as a vat of yak sick.

24. Kate Belgrave

Alan, my man, there’s plenty out there who’d fuck the crack of dawn. Yak cack would be a step up.

Pardon me for presuming, but would it be fair to say there’s a strand of male in this otherwise excellent nation that is a bit hung up on hard-faced rightwing birds? I’d be referring here to the type of bloke who wouldn’t have stepped over Maggie Thatcher if, as it were, she fell backwards in front of them. Maybe it’s the whole nanny-in-uniform, public school thing. My own husband can’t get enough of Mary Poppins (didn’t go to public school, though).

But Dorries does seem to trade on a glamourpuss image. Many Tory women have. Flint does too, but she seems comparatively rare amongst Labour women. OTOH, both sides have had their fair share of well-groomed, overly-coiffured men trading on their looks – Cameron and Blair being the most painfully obvious.

Maybe it’s the whole nanny-in-uniform, public school thing.

Oh gawd, yes. Also, somewhat Oedipal.

And in answer to the question Does nobody wank in private anymore? – no, not since webcams were invented.

27. Denim Justice

Not saying it’s the same thing, but you get plenty of intelligent young ladies positively gushing over David Miliband, his brother Ed, and some even find Cameron attractive. That’s not even to mention the hordes who wished they could’ve done more than pull a lever for Obama. How is that any different to some men on blogs saying they find Dorries moderately attractive, for a politician at least?

If a man is just being hypothetical about any liaisons, then surely it doesn’t matter whether she is right-wing, left-wing, or no wing at all?

“Fellas – does every thread about female MPs on here have to reference shaggability? ”

Kate, we all know the male sex drive is pathetic, but I’m a lesbian.

Does that mean I’m allowed to fancy her or not?

If not, is that because she is good looking or because she is a Tory?

29. Neuroskeptic

“Nadine Dorries is an arse”
“Do you mean she HAS a nice arse?”
“No I mean she’s a tit.”
“Do you mean she HAS nice tits?”
“No I mean she’s a twat…”

etc

@13, meh, I thought it was pretty obvious in the context that I was making the same point as Gregg @25. And it’s obviously true that Flint is a rarity within Labour for doing that, whereas Dorries is only notable for being unusually witless by the standards of glammed-up Tory women.

Is it just me, or is there more than hint of the Leslie Ash trout pout about that particular photo?

32. Kate Belgrave

@ pagar: ‘Kate, we all know the male sex drive is pathetic..’

so true…

‘… but I’m a lesbian. Does that mean I’m allowed to fancy her or not?.’

No.

‘If not, is that because she is good looking or because she is a Tory?’

Both.

Unity – good point. Do you think we paid for that work…? Not so much a duck house but a duck gob…

33. Denim Justice

surely if it’s sexist to fantasise about conjugal relations with Ms Dorries because of how she looks, it is equally sexist for someone to attack her for her looks?

34. Will Rhodes

Do us another favour too, and refrain from calling me a humourless menopausal die-hard, or crusty cunt, etc, when you’ve read this comment. Heard it all before, etc.

But, this begs the question, Kate – are you fit?

35. Denim Justice

On a related point, if I were to compliment you on your looks Kate, would you find that sexist? Or if I asked you out? (No, I’m not actually doing that – and pretend I am the hypothetical man/woman that you wouldn’t immediately be repulsed by)

Kate

Good answers and thanks for taking the bait with such good humour.

Only kidding about the lesbian bit…….

37. Kate Belgrave

‘But, this begs the question, Kate – are you fit?’

Well, in the day, Will, I got the odd shag with the light on, but I’m 40 now and my bikini line and tits almost meet (while standing). Personally, I think this is probably compelling, rather than attractive… but it might depend on your definition of fit…?

Denim – no, I wouldn’t find a positive comment about my looks sexist. I think I’d feel compelled to give anybody who made such a comment £20 (see above).

pagar – have you tried it?

38. Will Rhodes

but it might depend on your definition of fit…?

I am but a mere shallow male – one of the worlds great fap objects died today, when I was a boy she was dreams main construction, her and Jacqueline Smith.

So, instead of devolving into a discussion about the shaggability of Ms Dorries, this thread has devolved into a discussion about discussions about shaggability.

Is there any chance of it returning to the original subject?

If not, then I might as well put in my two-pennorth on the new subject, and say that I find it inexplicable that anyone can fancy senior politicians of either sex or any party.

“For the procedures enshrined in stone, brought about by Cromwell and abided by since?”

Sorry, but when exactly did Cromwell enshrine procedures in stone? He was a dictator. He forcibly removed MPs from Parliament.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    New blog post: Today programme gives Dorries free ride over plot http://bit.ly/5lOuH

  2. Paranormal Guru

    Liberal Conspiracy » Today programme gives Dorries free ride over plot: A reader wrote in to Liberal Conspiracy .. http://bit.ly/LKM1P

  3. sunny hundal

    Today programme @r4today gives Nadine Dorries free ride over her plotting against Bercow- http://tr.im/pHSZ

  4. majsaleh

    Deranged fantasist and danger to the public MadNad Dorries given free ride by the BBC? http://bit.ly/5lOuH via @libcon #sackdorries

  5. Alex J. Thomas

    RT @pickledpolitics: Today programme @r4today gives Nadine Dorries free ride over her plotting against Bercow- http://tr.im/pHSZ

  6. Alex J. Thomas

    RT @libcon: New blog post: Today programme gives Dorries free ride over plot http://bit.ly/5lOuH

  7. Tim Ireland

    RT @libcon: New blog post: Today programme gives Dorries free ride over plot http://bit.ly/5lOuH

  8. Liberal Conspiracy

    New blog post: Today programme gives Dorries free ride over plot http://bit.ly/5lOuH

  9. Paranormal Guru

    Liberal Conspiracy » Today programme gives Dorries free ride over plot: A reader wrote in to Liberal Conspiracy .. http://bit.ly/LKM1P

  10. sunny hundal

    Today programme @r4today gives Nadine Dorries free ride over her plotting against Bercow- http://tr.im/pHSZ

  11. majsaleh

    Deranged fantasist and danger to the public MadNad Dorries given free ride by the BBC? http://bit.ly/5lOuH via @libcon #sackdorries

  12. Alex J. Thomas

    RT @pickledpolitics: Today programme @r4today gives Nadine Dorries free ride over her plotting against Bercow- http://tr.im/pHSZ

  13. Alex J. Thomas

    RT @libcon: New blog post: Today programme gives Dorries free ride over plot http://bit.ly/5lOuH





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