Former Conservative Member of Parliament Nadine Dorries has stated that a new book by historian Sir Anthony Seldon vindicates her previous assertions about a "Tory fixer" orchestrating the downfall of party leaders. Dorries, who detailed similar claims in her 2023 book, "The Plot," alleges that Dougie Smith, a Conservative official who held a No. 10 pass from 2010 to 2024, conspired to oust Boris Johnson and previously influenced outcomes for Iain Duncan Smith, Theresa May, and Liz Truss. Smith and others involved have previously denied these allegations.
Seldon's book, "Sunak At 10: The Last Conservative Prime Minister?," reportedly details Smith's role in both elevating and undermining political figures, including current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. According to the Mail on Sunday, Seldon writes that Smith advised Sunak to resign as Chancellor in 2022 to force Johnson's departure, stating, 'Quit now. Get clear of this shit-show. Boris is going down.' Johnson subsequently left office, and Sunak became Prime Minister.
Dorries further claims that after Sunak assumed the premiership, Smith advised him on policy, including immigration, with harsh language. "I am delighted that Anthony Seldon has verified what I [wrote]," Dorries was quoted as saying. "Dougie Smith has run the Conservative Party for years. He decides who will be leader of the party, who will be PM and for how long."
Dorries also suggested that Kemi Badenoch, currently a prominent figure in the Conservative Party, might also face Smith's alleged machinations. "Kemi Badenoch may discover it won't be too long before Smith is working to remove her, if he isn't already," Dorries commented, implying the alleged influence may continue.
Dorries' initial claims in "The Plot" suggested that a select group of individuals were covertly guiding the party's direction. The corroboration she finds in Seldon's work, according to her statement, lends further weight to these allegations of behind-the-scenes control within the Conservative Party.