Nadine Dorries has dramatically quit as an MP and triggered a by-election as a final swipe at Rishi Sunak.
The former Culture Secretary, who has been an MP since 2005, said she would not fight the next election back in February but today released a bombshell statement saying she was going with immediate effect.
Only hours before, she had said wouldn't trigger a by-election but tonight she told TalkTV: "I can't reveal everything - something significant did happen to change my mind."
Rumours have been swirling in Westminster for months that Ms Dorries was in line for a peerage in Boris Johnson's long-awaited resignation honours.
But No10 reportedly blocked her gong - along with an honour for ex-Cabinet Minister Alok Sharma - to avoid potentially damaging by-elections.
Ms Dorries, a fanatical supporter of Boris Johnson and major Rishi Sunak critic, decided to quit anyway, even without a peerage.
She said: "I'm not altogether happy with the way the party has conducted itself over the last year.
"I'm not happy with the events that took place removing Boris Johnson. There are just things I'm unhappy with and I feel a sense of relief."
The one-time 'I'm a Celebrity... Get me out of Here' contestant may have been best known to some Brits for failing a ‘Bug Burial’ trial by cockroaches before becoming the first to be voted off in 2012.
The 66-year-old is a best-selling novelist - and hit the headlines as one of the first MPs to get Covid in 2020.
But she is also known for her punchy views, gaffes and her adoration for shamed ex-PM Mr Johnson.
Here are her some of her weirdest moments.
Congratulating a Tory minister for wrong job
The bungling Tory accidentally congratulated Nadhim Zahawi for being promoted to Health Secretary, rather than Chancellor last summer.
She tweeted: "He arrived in the U.K. a refugee who couldn't speak English who knows nothing but to achieve against the odds.
"He will deliver for health in the same way he delivered for vaccines and education. A top cabinet minister. Congratulations my friend."
Ms Dorries swiftly deleted the tweet.
Accusing the BBC of nepotism after hiring her own daughters
Ms Dorries complained about nepotism at the BBC in a Tory conference event in 2021, saying it needed to "be more accessible to people from all backgrounds, not just people whose mum and dad worked there.”
She didn't mention she had once employed her two daughters - Phillipa, then 27, and Jennifer, then 23 - in secretarial roles in her private office.
Both daughters were paid from public funds at a cost to the taxpayer of up to £80,000, the Mirror previously revealed.
Forced to say she doesn't fancy Boris Johnson after adoring memes
Ms Dorries has been one of Boris Johnson's most vocal and staunch allies, sticking by the shamed PM even as his Government crumbled.
She was forced to insist she didn't have a crush on Boris Johnson after endless memes circulated of her staring adoringly at him.
Mr Johnson's sister Rachel pressed her on the issue during her LBC show last June.
But the Tory MP insisted: "I don’t fancy your brother – not a bit."
Slating her own Government's pandemic planning
Ms Dorries admitted Tory preparations for the Covid pandemic were "inadequate" in a ferocious Twitter rant against criticism of Boris Johnson.
She was enraged by Tory Jeremy Hunt - now the Chancellor - who said he would oppose Mr Johnson in a confidence vote last summer.
"Your handling of the pandemic would have been a disaster," she said.
Ms Dorries said Mr Hunt had claimed the Government would collapse after Brexit, adding: "You’ve been wrong about almost everything, you are wrong again now."
But her attack backfired when she admitted that the Tory Government's pandemic preparedness during his tenure as Health Secretary "was found wanting and inadequate".
Wrongly claiming Channel 4 is publicly funded
The-then Culture Secretary blundered during a select committee grilling when she claimed Channel 4 was "in receipt of public money".
In fact, the broadcaster is publicly owned but it is funded through a commercial model and does not receive taxpayers' cash.
Ms Dorries wanted to sell off the public service broadcaster - but the plans have now been ditched.
Rapping on TikTok to promote the Online Safety Bill
Ms Dorries took to TikTok last year for a wince-inducing clip to explain the Government's online safety legislation.
In a 41-second video shot in her office, the Tory MP delivered a stilted rap about "a framework to protect internet users / From scams, illegal content and anonymous abusers".
She ended the clip with a mic drop.
Suggesting Liz Truss's budget earrings give her the edge over Rishi Sunak
Ms Dorries frequently attacked Rishi Sunak during the Tory leadership race, who she appeared to blame for Mr Johnson's downfall.
In one Twitter outburst, she mocked Mr Sunak's expensive taste in clothes by posting an article about the millionaire ex-Chancellor wearing a £3,500 suit before a vote and donning £490 Prada loafers on a visit to a building site.
She said his rival Ms Truss was more likely to be seen wearing £4.50 earrings from high street chain Claire's Accessories.
Ms Dorries has previously boasted about spending thousands of pounds on her own jewellery and clothes.
Rugby mix-up
Whilst speaking to a Rugby League audience in St Helens, the-then Culture Secretary recalled Jonny Wilkinson's match-winning dropped goal for England in the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup final.
“I’ve always quite liked the idea of rugby league,” she said. “My long-standing memory is that 2003 drop goal. I’ll let you into a secret. I think we were drinking bloody marys at the time. It was 11 o’clock in the morning but wow what a moment that was.”
She later took to Twitter to make light of her error, saying she may have switch codes like England legend Jason Robinson - who switched from rugby league to rugby union.
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