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A local council in Nadine Dorries’s constituency is demanding she resigns as an MP “immediately”, saying “residents desperately need effective representation now”.

The former culture secretary announced on 9 June that she was standing down as an MP “with immediate effect”, just ahead of her close ally Boris Johnson’s own exit from parliament.

But she still hasn’t formally resigned and remains the representative for Mid-Bedfordshire.

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In a terse letter to Ms Dorries, Flitwick Town Council said the issue had been raised at a recent meeting, and councillors wanted her to “immediately vacate” her seat to allow a by-election.

“Rather than representing constituents, the council is concerned that your focus appears to have been firmly on your television show, upcoming book and political manoeuvres to embarrass the government for not appointing you to the House of Lords,” wrote the council’s town clerk, Stephanie Stanley.

“With an estimated population of 13,800 people, Flitwick represents the largest concentration of voters in the Mid-Bedfordshire constituency.

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“Our residents desperately need effective representation now, and Flitwick Town Council calls on you to immediately vacate your seat to allow a by-election.”

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Nadine Dorries spoke to Sky News after her resignation announcement in June

The town mayor, Councillor Andy Snape, said demands had been growing across the community for Ms Dorries to “do the right thing rather than continue to hold the people of Mid-Bedfordshire to ransom while she plays political games for personal gain”.

He claimed the MP had not held a surgery in the town since March 2020 and had not maintained a constituency office “for a considerable time”.

Councillor Snape also said her “absence and lack of interest/contribution” had held back local projects, as he hit out at her living in the Cotswolds rather than in her constituency.

In a statement on social media, he added: “It’s the job of our MP to represent the views of Mid-Bedfordshire constituents in parliament and hold the government accountable, pushing for positive changes to policy and legislation.

“In my personal opinion, Dorries hasn’t done this.

“Her focus appears to be firmly on her TalkTV show, her new Daily Mail column, and, more recently, her upcoming tell-all book and exerting as much pressure as possible to embarrass the government into giving her a peerage.

“Regardless of your political viewpoint, Mid-Bedfordshire residents desperately need representation at Westminster. It’s time for Dorries to put Mid-Bedfordshire first and let someone else have a go.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries react during a Prime Minister's Questions session at the House of Commons, in London, Britain, March 9, 2022. UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. IMAGE MUST NOT BE ALTERED.
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Nadine Dorries is a close ally of former prime minister Boris Johnson

Ms Dorries announced her resignation last month, just hours before Mr Johnson quit in protest against the Privileges Committee findings – ruling he deliberately misled parliament over lockdown breaking parties in Downing Street.

At the time, she said a “new life is opening up” in front of her, so it was the right time to step down.

However, rumours swelled that she had been in line for a peerage and was cut from Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list at the last minute to ensure it got the sign off from the current incumbent in Number 10.

In the following days, Ms Dorries said she would not formally resign until after she got answers from Downing Street about why she did not get her peerage.

“It is absolutely my intention to resign,” she tweeted. “But given what I know to be true and the number of varying and conflicting statements issued by Number 10 since the weekend, this process is now sadly necessary.”

The delay to her exit has drawn criticism from all over the House, with the Tory chair of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee referring to her as the “lingering member for Mid-Bedfordshire”.

Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney said the letter showed people were “fed up with being taken for granted”, adding: “While families across Bedfordshire are struggling to see a GP and facing soaring mortgage costs, Nadine Dorries continues to hold on to a job she has no interest is doing.

“Dorries needs to step aside now to give people the chance to elect a proper local champion, one that will stand up for them and champion their voices in parliament.”

Sky New has contacted Ms Dorries for a response to the town council’s letter.

The Mid Bedfordshire Conservative Association had no comment on the row, telling Sky News: “This letter was addressed to Nadine, and therefore a matter for her.”

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Major German bank to offer crypto trading by 2026 amid bank ‘FOMO’

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Major German bank to offer crypto trading by 2026 amid bank ‘FOMO’

Major German bank to offer crypto trading by 2026 amid bank ‘FOMO’

Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe execs once ruled out adopting crypto over concerns of volatility and risk, and the banking giant also blocked customer crypto transactions back in 2015.

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Analysts raise chance of SOL, XRP and LTC ETF approval to 95%

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Analysts raise chance of SOL, XRP and LTC ETF approval to 95%

Analysts raise chance of SOL, XRP and LTC ETF approval to 95%

Crypto ETF summer has arrived with America’s first staked Solana ETP and increased odds for other spot altcoin funds, according to analysts.

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PM faces threat of major rebellion during key vote today

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PM faces threat of major rebellion during key vote today

Sir Keir Starmer continues to face the threat of a major rebellion during a key vote on welfare reforms later – despite making last-minute concessions to disgruntled Labour MPs.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that all existing claimants of the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability benefit, will be protected from changes to eligibility.

The combined value of the standard Universal Credit allowance and the health top-up will rise “at least in line with inflation” every year of this parliament.

And an additional £300m for employment support for sick and disabled people in 2026 has been announced, which will rise every year after.

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Welfare cuts ‘needed to be made’

Ms Kendall has also promised that a consultation into PIP – “co-produced” with disabled people – will be published next autumn.

She said the U-turn on welfare cuts will cost taxpayers about £2.5bn by 2030 – less than half the £4.8bn the government had expected to save with its initial proposals.

Modelling by Ms Kendall’s own department, released yesterday, suggested the proposals would push 150,000 more people into poverty by 2030, down from the 250,000 estimated under the original plan.

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But after announcing the U-turns, Labour MPs were still publicly saying they could not back the plans as they do not go far enough to allay their concerns.

Disabilities minister Stephen Timms would not say he was “confident” the proposals would pass the Commons when asked on Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge.

“We’ve got a very strong package, I certainly hope it passes,” he replied.

Read more: What are the concessions to the welfare reform bill?

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‘Disabled people thrown under the bus’

A total of 86 charities united yesterday to call on MPs to reject the reforms, saying they will harm disabled people and calling it “a political choice”.

The likes of Oxfam, Child Action Poverty Group, Mind and Shelter said the bill has been brought to a vote without consulting disabled people and without any assessment “of its impact on health and employment outcomes”.

When asked to name “a single” disability organisation in favour of the reforms, Ms Kendall declined to do so.

Several Labour MPs indicated they would still vote against the changes, leaving the government in the dark over how big a rebellion it still may face.

Ms Kendall tried to allay their fears, telling MPs: “I believe we have a fair package, a package that protects existing claimants because they’ve come to rely on that support.”

Richard Burgon presented a petition to parliament yesterday evening against the cuts, signed by more than 77,000 people.

Several Labour MPs questioned why the vote was going ahead before the review into PIP is published – including Rachael Maskell, who said she could not “countenance sick and disabled people being denied support” and added: “It is a matter of conscience.”

Connor Naismith said the concessions “undoubtedly improve efforts to secure welfare reform which is fair”, but added: “Unfortunately, I do not believe these concessions yet go far enough.”

Nadia Whittome
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Labour rebel Nadia Whittome said the government was ‘ignoring’ disabled people

Nadia Whittome accused the government of “ignoring” disabled people and urged ministers to go “back to the drawing board”.

Ian Byrne told the Commons he will vote against the “cruel cuts” to disability benefits because the “so-called concessions go nowhere near far enough”.

The vote will take place this evening, with coverage on Sky News’ Politics Hub live blog and on TV.

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