‘Quick to anger’ Rishi Sunak’s smile ‘not always genuine’, claims Nadine Dorries

Published

2 years ago

November 14, 2023

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Rishi Sunak is “quick to anger” and a man whose smile is “not always genuine”, according to former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries.

Ms Dorries was a stalwart ally of Boris Johnson, and has continuously criticised Mr Sunak since he took over as leader of the party and government last year.

She claims he – among many things – blocked her ascension to the House of Lords. This has been denied by Downing Street.

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Speaking to the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge, Ms Dorries was asked why she had described Mr Sunak as “sickly nice” in her new book, The Plot.

Explaining what she meant, Ms Dorries said: “If you saw him in his interview with Elon Musk I think you know what I mean.

“There’s a smile [that] is not always genuine – and I’m sure you’ve read many times yourself and heard many times yourself – but he was, he’s quick to anger, and because that mask often slips.”

Ms Dorries said she had seen this happening.

Asked when this occurred, she said it was “just an irritability” – adding that it was “very hard to put on an image, isn’t it, all day”.

“It’s very hard to keep that fixed grin and that, you know, that cheerful chappy demeanour all day long when you’re prime minister,” she said.

“It’s like 24 hours a day, so I’m not surprised the mask slips because it’s quite hard to keep up that effort.

“I think that’s part of the problem.”

Asked about the recent reshuffle, Ms Dorries said she did not think it was right to sack Suella Braverman.

She accused Downing Street of lying about not signing off a controversial article authored by the former home secretary in which she accused the police of “playing favourites” with pro-Palestine protesters.

When Ms Dorries was a minister and Mr Johnson was in power, Downing Street came under scrutiny for its statements on partygate and Chris Pincher – the latter event precipitating the collapse of the administration.

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On Lord David Cameron‘s appointment as foreign secretary, Ms Dorries claimed the job was “created” so Lord Cameron could be put in the House of Lords – something she thinks would not have happened otherwise due to the Greensill lobbying scandal.

Sky News has contacted Number 10 and Lord Cameron for comment on Ms Dorries’s claims.

Watch the interview tonight at 7pm on the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge

Politics

UK restores diplomatic ties with Syria

Published

5 hours ago

July 6, 2025

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The UK has re-established diplomatic ties with Syria, David Lammy has said, as he made the first visit to the country by a British minister for 14 years.

The foreign secretary visited Damascus and met with interim president Ahmed al Sharaa, also the leader of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and foreign minister Asaad al Shaibani.

It marks the latest diplomatic move since Bashar al Assad’s regime was toppled by rebel groups led by HTS in December.

In a statement, Mr Lammy said a “stable Syria is in the UK’s interests” and added: “I’ve seen first-hand the remarkable progress Syrians have made in rebuilding their lives and their country.

“After over a decade of conflict, there is renewed hope for the Syrian people.

“The UK is re-establishing diplomatic relations because it is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians.”

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also announced a £94.5m support package for urgent humanitarian aid and to support the country’s long-term recovery, after a number of British sanctions against the country were lifted in April.

While HTS is still classified as a proscribed terror group, Sir Keir Starmer said last year that it could be removed from the list.

The Syrian president’s office also said on Saturday that the president and Mr Lammy discussed co-operation, as well as the latest developments in the Middle East.

Since Assad fled Syria in December, a transitional government headed by Mr al Sharaa was announced in March and a number of western countries have restored ties.

In May, US President Donald Trump said the United States would lift long-standing sanctions on Syria and normalise relations during a speech at the US-Saudi investment conference.

He said he wanted to give the country “a chance at peace” and added: “There is a new government that will hopefully succeed.

“I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.”

Politics

Secret Service seizes $400M in crypto, cold wallet among world’s largest

Published

7 hours ago

July 6, 2025

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Secret Service seizes 0M in crypto, cold wallet among world’s largest

Secret Service quietly amasses one of the world’s largest crypto cold wallets with $400 million seized, exposing scams through blockchain sleuthing and VPN missteps.