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Nadine Dorries has said she hates people saying she must “fear” Boris Johnson, as the Tory MP dismissed the idea she was anything but friends with the former prime minister. The former culture secretary said Mr Johnson was someone she could call “in the middle of the night” and talk to for hours – but insisted he is as close to Carrie Johnson as her husband. Ms Dorris also suggested Johnson should become rich before launching his political comeback because being prime minister is difficult “unless you’re a multi-millionaire”. “He will be back. I don’t know when, I don’t know how, I don’t know if it will be 10 years or 10 months,” the loyal ally told The House magazine. “I used to say that to be prime minister you have to be rich because it costs you a lot of money,” he said. “It’s part of the role to invite people to the cheques, but you have to pay for every cup of tea you serve out of your own pocket.” The former cabinet minister added: “So if you’re not a multi-millionaire, it’s a problem.” Of her friendship with the former prime minister, she said: “I could call Boris in the middle of the night if I had a problem and I know he would be there for hours talking to me. I had breakfast with him the other morning. He and Carrie, I would consider them both good friends.” He added: “I hate the whole, ‘Oh, she must love him.’ I mean, I’m a grandma! Get over it. I’m a grandmother and, in fact, I love Carrie as much as I love Boris.” Ms Dorris is said to be on the former prime minister’s shortlist for a peerage, along with fellow Tory MPs Alok Sharma, Alistair Jack and Nigel Adams. “I was told that I would probably get a letter if I was a candidate asking if I would be inclined to accept it. I haven’t received one,” said Mrs Dorris, who declined to say whether she would give up her seat in Mid Bedfordshire and enter the upper chamber. “I will make the decision if I ever get the offer.” Ms Dorries also warned Rishi Sunak’s government not to delay or water down the internet safety bill, aimed at regulating Twitter and social media giants in a bid to prevent harmful behaviour. “There is absolutely no reason why the bill should be amended in any way. Mainly because all the difficult and contentious stages of the bill, including the legal but damaging ones, have already passed. It’s already over. Our party voted for it,” he said. ‘Did the earth move for you, Nadine?’: out maneuvering Boris Johnson (PA Wire) The Sunak government has delayed progress on the bill, while senior Tories have questioned attempts to define “legal but harmful” content against free speech principles. Criticizing her successor Michelle Donelan, who said she did not want the bill to affect free speech, Ms Dorries added: “Michelle has been on the job five minutes and she doesn’t understand enough about it.” The Tory MP also revealed that senior figures – including Cabinet minister Oliver Dowden – told her not to bother going ahead with the legislation. “I can tell you what Oliver Dowden is [her predecessor at the department] he told me when I took the job. He said: “This is a horrible bill, kick it into the long grass.” Asked about Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter and what that might mean for internet security, she said: “He’s a father. “And as a father, I would think you would probably understand the dangers the internet can present to children and young people.”
