Johnson Ally Dorries To Stand Down Immediately, By-Election Expected

Former Culture Minister and close ally of former PM Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries has stated that she intends to stand down as an MP with immediate effect, triggering a by-election in her constituency of Mid Bedfordshire.

• Dorries, from PM Rishi Sunak's governing centre-right Conservative Party, has served as Mid Bedfordshire MP since 2005 and in 2019 was returned with a sizeable majority of 24,664 representing 59.8% of the vote. Since its creation in 1918 the Conservatives have held the seat for all but four years of that time period, and continually since 1931.
• The sizable Conservative majority would usually prove enough insulation to ensure that the gov't holds onto the seat. However, the party has lost all five of its most recent by elections contested by major parties, many in seats the party had held for many decades.
• This will be the first parliamentary by election in a Conservative seat since Sunak took over as prime minister, and will be closely watched for signs of his ability to retain support in his party's heartland seats.
• Dorries has been a critic of Sunak since taking over, having been a vocal supporter of Boris Johnson both during and following his time in Downing St. As such, the gov't may not be able to rely on the fulsome support of its outgoing MP that would usually be expected.