LONDON: UK Member of Parliament Nadine Dorries has formally resigned from the Conservative Party, delivering a blistering critique of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in her resignation letter. In her scathing remarks, she accused Sunak of overseeing a “zombie parliament” and lacking a coherent political vision for the country.
Dorries, known for her affiliation with former leader Boris Johnson, initially announced her intention to resign in June. Her delay in executing this decision led to mounting criticism and postponed the election to fill her vacant seat, which was supposed to coincide with three local votes last month.
Late on Saturday, Dorries finalized her resignation with an extensive letter sharply criticizing Sunak. The impending by-election to select her replacement is anticipated to occur in the autumn, posing a significant test for the Conservative Party’s popularity as they lag behind the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls.
UK Lawmaker’s Criticism on PM Sunak
Since assuming office a year ago, Sunak has faced Dorries’ criticism of presiding over a “zombie parliament” where substantial progress appears to be absent. She questioned Sunak’s achievements and his unelected status as prime minister without a mandate from the people.
Dorries questioned, “You hold the office of prime minister unelected, without a single vote, not even from your own MPs. You have no mandate from the people, and the government is adrift. You have squandered the goodwill of the nation for what?” A representative for Sunak refrained from commenting on the matter.
Having formerly served as a finance minister and investment banker, Sunak took over as prime minister in October of the previous year after emerging as the sole candidate nominated in a party leadership contest. He stepped into this role amidst a series of scandals that prompted Johnson’s resignation and economic instability, leading to the departure of his successor, Liz Truss, after a mere six weeks.
Sunak aimed to restore his party’s credibility through technocratic leadership, but mounting challenges, including high inflation, economic stagnation, labor disputes, and lengthy wait times for state-run healthcare, have eroded Conservative Party support. The party trails behind Labor in polls ahead of an expected election next year.
By-elections serve as valuable indicators of public sentiment prior to the forthcoming election. In July, the Conservative Party suffered defeats in two strategically significant parliamentary seats but managed to retain Johnson’s former constituency unexpectedly, dealing a setback to Labor.
Dorries concluded her critique, saying, “In your impatience to become prime minister, you put your personal ambition above the stability of the country and our economy. Bewildered, we look in vain for the grand political vision for the people of this great country to hold on to that would make all this disruption and subsequent inertia worthwhile, and we find absolutely nothing.”
