Dorries hits out over ‘dropped’ policies

Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has claimed some of the policies she looked to progress while in office at DCMS have been ditched.

Dorries took to Twitter to say policies including the privatisation of Channel 4, the BBC licence fee review and the Online Safety Bill have been shelved.

"Widespread dismay at the fact that three years of work has effectively been put on hold," she wrote.

"No one asked for this. C4 sale, online safety, BBC licence [fee] review – all signed off by cabinet all ready to go, all stopped."

Her comments come during the Conservative Party Conference and follow current Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan last month saying she would "re-examine the business case" for privatising Channel 4 and scrapping the BBC licence fee.

Dorries also appeared to suggest Prime Minister Liz Truss should call a general election if she plans not to move ahead with these policies.

"If Liz wants a whole new mandate, she must take to the country," she added.