Nadine Dorries just laid into Jeremy Hunt and it might be her biggest self-own yet

Poke Staff. Updated June 6th, 2022

Culture secretary Nadine Dorries is among Boris Johnson’s most devoted cheerleaders so it’s no surprise to see her coming out to bat for the beleaguered PM ahead of tonight’s vote of confidence.

No stranger to venting her displeasure on Twitter, she was particularly riled when former health secretary (and one time Tory leadership contender) Jeremy Hunt said he wouldn’t be backing Johnson in Monday night’s vote.

The Conservative Party must now decide if it wishes to change its leader. Because of the situation in Ukraine this was not a debate I wanted to have now but under our rules we must do that.

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 6, 2022

Having been trusted with power, Conservative MPs know in our hearts we are not giving the British people the leadership they deserve. We are not offering the integrity, competence and vision necessary to unleash the enormous potential of our country.

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 6, 2022

And because we are no longer trusted by the electorate, who know this too, we are set to lose the next general election.

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 6, 2022

Anyone who believes our country is stronger, fairer & more prosperous when led by Conservatives should reflect that the consequence of not changing will be to hand the country to others who do not share those values. Today’s decision is change or lose. I will be voting for change

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 6, 2022

It prompted quite the tirade from Dorries, who responded with a four-part thread of her own.

1/4 On afternoon of 23rd July 2020 when I was health minister you telephoned me to tell me that we had to handle the pandemic following the example set by the East/China. That people testing + should be removed from their homes and placed into isolation hotels for two weeks. https://t.co/iABbYOH6xR

— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) June 6, 2022

2/4You said yr wife’s family had experience of this during SARS. I said that British people would never tolerate being removed from their homes and loved ones at which point you demanded I show you the evidence for that. Your handling of the pandemic would have been a disaster.

— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) June 6, 2022

3/4 Your pandemic preparation during six years as health secretary was found wanting and inadequate.Your duplicity right now in destabilising the party and country to serve your own personal ambition, more so.

— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) June 6, 2022

4/4You told others that PM and Gov would swiftly collapse on back of Brexit and you would swoop in. You told me as much in Victoria St after GE. If you had been leader you’d have handed the keys of No10 to Corbyn. You’ve been wrong about almost everything, you are wrong again now

— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) June 6, 2022

Dorries is no stranger to self-owns, of course, but this one might be her biggest yet.

First, what her rant said about the state of the Conservative party …

Nadine Dorries accusing Jeremy Hunt of failing to prepare for the pandemic is a sure sign the Tory party is in full blown civil war mode. https://t.co/dmL7Wixylq

— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) June 6, 2022

Fucking hell it’s coming apart at the seams. https://t.co/NT91es7KDW

— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) June 6, 2022

… and specifically, what it said about the government’s preparation for the pandemic.

Current senior Conservative government minister confirms that it was a failure by a Conservative minister that meant the government was poorly prepared for Covid. https://t.co/iLNoKhWJ6v

— Susanna Reid (@susannareid100) June 6, 2022

The Government's preparation for the pandemic was "wanting and inadequate," says the Government. https://t.co/orAL0kolpU

— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) June 6, 2022

Think this is a cabinet minister saying her Government didn't prepare properly for the pandemic. Inquiry might like to ask her about that. https://t.co/SfOR5Q11hu

— Sam Freedman (@Samfr) June 6, 2022

Nadine Dorries now attacking the Tories for not being ready for the pandemic. Day going well. https://t.co/S7l96HAvlg

— James Felton (@JimMFelton) June 6, 2022

A basic admission that her party failed the country. An astonishing, self destructive tweet. https://t.co/q73Ra6F7gD

— Adil Ray OBE (@adilray) June 6, 2022

"the government failed to prepare for a pandemic that killed hundreds of thousands of people" is an interesting line of attack https://t.co/TQYYkX7a3S

— Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) June 6, 2022

Blue on Blue action. And it's x-rated. https://t.co/cbyeYI3IXi

— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) June 6, 2022

This tweet accusation aimed at Jeremy Hunt is one of the most damning claims made about one’s own party in government that I think I have ever seen. https://t.co/1K6fzQGIkc

— David Aaronovitch (@DAaronovitch) June 6, 2022

Dorries admits that her Govt, and she as Health Minister, were found wanting and inadequate in their pandemic preparation.
An unusual, if inadvertent, bit of honesty. https://t.co/Edr461X3di

— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) June 6, 2022

Last, but most definitely not least, it also had entirely the opposite effect of the one Dorries was hoping for.

I'm hearing the thread below from the Culture Secretary about Jeremy Hunt has incensed some MPs and is tempting some to vote against the Prime Minister — because they feel it comes with his endorsementhttps://t.co/JjtjVnZTAj

— Chris Mason (@ChrisMasonBBC) June 6, 2022

Oof.

https://twitter.com/EmmaKennedy/status/1533787335585931264?s=20&t=NbvPrTYd_s_L78kPH3e1SA

Apart from that, of course, it was an absolute Twitter win for the all-conquering culture secretary.

https://twitter.com/TobyonTV/status/1533777417201926144?s=20&t=eFLjZXA7fH6L03Y2l34u5w

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