Nadine Dorries’ Boris Johnson book in legal delay

Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries was a staunch ally of Boris Johnson

Nadine Dorries' book about Boris Johnson's downfall will be delayed, publisher HarperCollins has said.

Ms Dorries formally resigned as MP for the constituency of Mid Bedfordshire on Saturday.

Her book - The Plot: The Political Assassination Of Boris Johnson - was due to come out on 28 September but it is now expected on 9 November.

The "small delay" is due to "the required legal process needed to share her story," HarperCollins said.

It added the delayed publishing date was to "allow for the huge volume of material the author has consulted" and "the number of high-level sources spoken to".

On X, formerly Twitter, Ms Dorries claimed that Downing Street was "pushing a line" that her delayed book launch was because she had broken the ministerial code and has been silenced.

She posted: "Here is what the code says: 'Former Ministers intending to publish their memoirs are required to submit the draft manuscript in good time before publication to the Cabinet Secretary and to conform to the principles set out in the Radcliffe report'.

"The Plot is not a memoir.

"What they don't seem to get is that it's not about me or my time in office, it's all about them."

She added the book would be "worth the wait".

After announcing she would step down as MP in June, Ms Dorries finally resigned formally in August - launching a blistering attack on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

She accused Mr Sunak of abandoning "the fundamental principles of Conservatism" and said the country was now run by a "zombie Parliament".

Her book, for which she received £20,500 as a partial advance, appears to be following a similar line, attacking Downing Street and the Conservative Party.

Ms Dorries said: "What began as an investigation into how Boris Johnson was removed from office ultimately revealed a corruption of democracy deep at the heart of the Conservative Party and in Downing Street."

"Secrecy, fear and the cloak of anonymity have protected those who wield power in the shadows, until now."

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "We wish her well".

Downing Street was contacted for comment.

Ms Dorries was among eight Conservative parliamentarians rebuked for their conduct in relation to the Privileges Committee investigation of Mr Johnson.

The cross-party panel, which found Mr Johnson lied to MPs with his repeated denials of pandemic-era parties in Downing Street, accused his loyalists of a co-ordinated attempt to undermine its work.

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