Nadine Dorries has ordered a second investigation into the takeover of chip maker Arm by Nvidia (Steve Parsons/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)Nadine Dorries has been called out for tweets she has posted in the past after complaining about social media discourse.
Speaking to the BBC, the culture secretary said people are afraid of being “cancelled” for expressing their views and that left-wing activists have “hijacked” social media, leading young people “who actually do want to engage” in serious debate to be frightened.
She said: “Sometimes I think we just need to tone down the condemnation and the judgement, and evaluate and engage a little bit more than we do. I think social media probably contributes a lot to this.
“People are afraid because of the amplification in the echo chambers of social media.”
But her comments have raised eyebrows because Dorries’ own online record hasn’t been exactly squeaky clean.
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Earlier this week, she deleted a tweet appearing to criticise the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
Nadine Dorries has deleted this tweet, please don't share. pic.twitter.com/dlspAveOL8
— Sunlit Uplands (@SunlitUplandsUK) November 17, 2021
After Kuenssberg had said she had spoken to an unnamed Tory MP who said Boris Johnson’s power was “evaporating”, Dorries said: “Laura, I very much like and respect you, but we both know, that text is ridiculous, although nowhere near as ridiculous as the person – obviously totally desperate for your attention – who sent it.”
In the Commons, Labour MP Jo Stevens said the exchange was “highly inappropriate” given one of Dorries’ roles is to oversee BBC licence negotiations and accused her of seeking to “influence editorial decisions”.
Dorries replied: “I did not rebuke Laura Kuenssberg, someone who is maybe the best in the business … Some members opposite seem to have difficulty understanding a composition of 240 characters. The tweet was completely misinterpreted, I was not rebuking Laura Kuenssberg and never would.”
Jo Stevens - The Secretary of State actually has the time to police the BBC's political editor's(Laura Kuenssberg) tweets & publicly rebuke her...
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) November 18, 2021
Nadine Dorries - That tweet was completely misinterpreted.. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/vg7QVn0GPd
Meanwhile, she has posted a series of tweets directed at LBC Radio presenter James O’Brien, including one in 2018 that read:
“I believe James O Brien of LBC fame is a Hate preacher, a liar, a misogynist, a UK hater & an apologist for Islamist atrocities. I also believe he is a bully who hides behind the Global/LBC name who condone his behaviour. I also believe he should be sacked. Plz R/T if you agree.”
The tweet has since been deleted.
In 2017 she said that “left-wing snowflakes are killing comedy”.
Left wing snowflakes are killing comedy, tearing down historic statues, removing books from universities, dumbing down panto, removing Christ from Christmas and suppressing free speech. Sadly, it must be true, history does repeat itself. It will be music next.
— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) December 27, 2017
Speaking to the BBC, she stood by the comment. “I just said it first,” she said.
And if you want to take a look at even more of her controversial quotes, you can do so here.
Reacting to the news, people pointed out these instances:
O’Brien said he was “shocked”.
“It’s crystal clear that Nadine Dorries is part of the problem of online abuse,” he added.
“And unlike anonymous trolls she has real power & status in society. The idea that she should be in charge of the solution is patently ridiculous.”
Bloody hell. Even I’m shocked. Nadine Dorries did this to me. Deleted very quickly but how could any vaguely respectable politician have retweeted this unhinged bile about anyone? Let alone a politician now complaining about online abuse? https://t.co/rzEuTIOtZZ
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) November 19, 2021
Another Nadine Dorries gem:
— Skew Spew Barmy Hairdo Curmudgeon Bigot and Smug💙 (@SkewSmug) November 19, 2021
"Sometimes I think we just need to tone down the condemnation and the judgement, and evaluate and engage a little bit more than we do. I think social media probably contributes a lot to this." pic.twitter.com/n5alIo9Ljt
It’s crystal clear that Nadine Dorries is part of the problem of online abuse. And unlike anonymous trolls she has real power & status in society. The idea that she should be in charge of the solution is patently ridiculous. https://t.co/mqaKOIacI8
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) November 19, 2021
'Social media's been hijacked by lefties', says Dorries, apparently unaware it was social media that fuelled an actual coup attempt that nearly ended American democracy on Jan 6th, not to mention the #Brexit campaign & far right covid/antivax conspiracies.https://t.co/A09VrgX08j
— Brendan May (@bmay) November 19, 2021
Nadine Dorries saying that social media has been hijacked by trolls such as Nadine Dorries
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@davemacladd) November 19, 2021
The problem with Nadine Dorries being in charge of ‘online safety’ isn’t so much about her as about the idea that *anyone* should have the level of power over our online activities as is envisaged in the Online Safety Bill.
— Prof Paul Bernal (@PaulbernalUK) November 19, 2021
That it’s her just emphasises that point.
Indy100 has contacted Dorries to comment on this story.
