Nadine Dorries Reveals Why She Decided To Step Down With 'Immediate Effect'
Nadine Dorries has accused Michael Gove of "positioning himself" to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader.
The close Boris Johnson ally made the comment after the Cabinet minister warned against net zero "religious crusade".
Mr Gove called for the Conservatives to rethink some net zero measures following last Thursday's by-elections.
Ms Dorries, who has announced she is quitting as an MP but is yet to formally do so, said: "Michael Gove is positioning himself to be the next leader of the Conservative Party to replace Sunak.
"If there’s a populist wave riding through Westminster with nervous MPs, he’s the first to ride it."
Nadine Dorries accused Michael Gove of 'positioning himself' to replace Rishi Sunak (Image: PA)
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Ms Dorries' intervention comes after Mr Gove called for the Tories to relax some net zero policies in the wake of the by-elections.
The Conservatives lost two safe seats but narrowly won in Boris Johnson's former seat amid a backlash at London Mayor Sadiq Khan's expansion of the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ).
He told The Telegraph: "One of the dangers ... is that if people think that you are treating the cause of the environment as a religious crusade, in which you’re dividing the world into goodies and baddies, then you alienate the support that you need for thoughtful environmentalism."
Labour's loss in Uxbridge over the hated ULEZ has sparked debate within the Tory Party over green plans.
Michael Gove is positioning himself to be the next leader of the Conservative Party to replace Sunak.
If a there’s a populist wave riding through Westminster with nervous MPs, he’s the first to ride it.
https://t.co/eFhsZPUZwA
— Rt Hon Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) July 23, 2023
Michael Gove is positioning himself to be the next leader of the Conservative Party to replace Sunak.
If a there’s a populist wave riding through Westminster with nervous MPs, he’s the first to ride it.
https://t.co/eFhsZPUZwA
— Rt Hon Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) July 23, 2023
Michael Gove is positioning himself to be the next leader of the Conservative Party to replace Sunak.
If a there’s a populist wave riding through Westminster with nervous MPs, he’s the first to ride it.
https://t.co/eFhsZPUZwA
— Rt Hon Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) July 23, 2023
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Mr Gove, known as an effective political operator, torpedoed Mr Johnson's leadership bid in 2016 when he ditched plans to run his campaign and announced he was throwing his hat in the ring.
He was fired by Mr Johnson when he battled to cling on as PM last summer in the face of a Cabinet revolt.
Meanwhile, Mr Gove was a bitter critic of Liz Truss during her brief stint in Downing Street.
He made his return to the Cabinet when Mr Sunak took the keys to No 10 last October.
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