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Nadine Dorries criticised after defending Reform on BBC Laura Kuenssberg

politicsOct 18, 202629203

Former Tory MP Nadine Dorries appeared on BBC Laura Kuenssberg and defended Reform UK and its handling of candidate vetting, prompting widespread online criticism. Social media posts called her hypocritical for joining Nigel Farage’s party after a long Tory ministerial career and questioned her credibility as a commentator on the programme. Critics highlighted Reform’s recent scandals, including revelations about candidates’ online links to extremist views and Farage’s claim that the party paid a vetting firm a large sum but was "let down." The Telegraph reported Vetting.Com was paid £144,000 to screen candidates, and the firm said an earlier-than-expected July 4 election shortened the time available to complete checks. Sample posts on social platforms mocked Dorries’s remarks, accused her of shifting blame to outsourced vetting, and said the BBC should not have given her a seat on the panel. The episode added to scrutiny of Reform’s selection process and kept pressure on the party to explain how problematic candidates passed preselection checks.

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