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Nadine Dorries’s Twitter game backfires

Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

The current impotence of the Prime Minister can be measured in many forms. But one of them is just how few Cabinet ministers are willing to go out and give Boris Johnson their full-throated support on various media platforms. 

It’s telling that of the 30 or so ministers attending Cabinet, only two seem to be shouldering most of the responsibility: Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries. But while Mogg tends to focus his energies on traditional broadcasters, Dorries prefers taking to Twitter to proclaim her loyalty and decry the waverers.

Unfortunately, the recently-appointed Culture Secretary appears to be embracing her social media brief a little too enthusiastically. Not only did she retweet comedian Joe Lycett’s mocking tweet feigning support for Johnson, but her constant snark at Tory waverers is beginning to seriously rile her backbench colleagues. 

Having sent her special adviser along to crash last week’s Carlton Club meeting of the so-called ‘pork pie’ plotters, Dorries then redoubled her efforts last night, posting a picture of her dinner last night to take aim at those allegedly involved.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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