Former Tory MP and Boris ally Nadine Dorries in social media spat with Conservative MP Paul Holmes
A current Conservative MP went up against a former Conservative MP in a public row on social media.
The spat on X, formally known as Twitter, involved the Hampshire politician Paul Holmes and former Culture secretary and staunch Boris Johnson ally Nadine Dorries.
Dorries quit as an MP from her Mid-Bedfordshire seat earlier this year, with Labour gaining control of the constituency at a by-election on Thursday.
Holmes, who has represented residents in Eastleigh since 2019, took aim at Dorries after she criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for saying 'local factors' led to a Conservative defeat in her former constituency.
Dorries wrote, "A worthy leader owns it. He apologises and looks for a way to do better. What he doesn’t do is pathetically blame anyone or anything other than himself."
Holmes, who was appointed Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party by the Prime Minister last year, then took aim at Ms Dorries and said "Of course it had nothing to do with her…..".
Dorries responded by saying, "Just like your election had nothing to do with you and everything to do with the man who won you your seat. A lesson you are about to learn the hard way. How’s the CV coming along?"
Her message implied that Holmes only won his seat because of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In a cutting comeback, Holmes said "Unlike you Nadine I work my seat, I work hard for them, and haven’t been AWOL for months and then pretend it has nothing to do with me.
"My CV is good thanks, unlike you I understood how Channel 4 was funded and worked and aren’t as unpleasant as you were to colleagues. I’ll call that a win."
In a lengthy reply Dorries then listed milestones from her career in politics and wished Holmes well.
"You are the age of my middle child, who has considerably better manners than you. Since school, you were a politcs student and have spent your entire short working life in politics. I was a nurse in the NHS for 10 years.
"I established, from an original idea, my own successful business, which I then sold. I’ve spent 35 years in politics, as an activist, a Spad, and then 19 as an MP and at each of the 5 general elections I fought, my majority increased. "I served as a Chairwoman, a health minister during Covid and a SoS. I’m also a best selling author of almost 3m books.
"Your seat was gifted to you. You have no idea what a hard days work looks like. My last communication with you, but I’ll leave you with the most important political lesson of all - you can’t beat the swing.
"Good luck job hunting. I wish you well."
The row comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak prepares to mark his first year facing problems at home and abroad.
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