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Minister 'admires' Nadine Dorries for going on jungle reality show Jeremy Hunt says he admires Nadine Dorries for going on jungle reality show
(about 9 hours later)
Under-fire MP Nadine Dorries today yesterday won the support of a Cabinet minister, who said he "admired" her for going on ITV reality show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! MP Nadine Dorries has won the support of a cabinet minister, who said he admired her for going on the ITV reality show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!. Dorries had the Conservative whip withdrawn for taking time off to go into the jungle. She returned to the UK from Australia this week after becoming the first contestant viewers voted off.
Dorries was suspended from the Conservative Party for taking time off to go into the jungle, and returned to the UK from Australia earlier this week after becoming the first contestant to be voted off by viewers. At a meeting on Tuesday, chief whip Sir George Young said the whip would not be restored until she showed she had rebuilt her relationships with constituents, local activists and Tory MPs.
At a meeting on Tuesday, Chief Whip Sir George Young said she will not be restored to the party's ranks in the House of Commons until she shows she has rebuilt her relationships with constituents, local activists and Tory MPs. She took a step in that direction, as the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, backed her and said that parliamentary characters such as the Mid Bedfordshire MP should be "treasured".
She yesterday took a step in that direction, as the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, came out in her support and said that parliamentary characters like the Mid-Bedfordshire MP should be "treasured". He told LBC 97.3 radio: "I don't think I would go into the jungle. I actually do admire Nadine for doing it and I know she got a lot of stick.
Speaking to LBC 97.3 radio, Hunt said: "I don't think I would go into the jungle. I actually do admire Nadine for doing it and I know she got a lot of stick. "Initially, when I was asked about it, I thought, 'Yes, MPs shouldn't do this'. But, actually, I think we need characters in arliament and when we have them, we should treasure them."
"Initially, when I was asked about it, I thought, 'Yes, MPs shouldn't do this'. Dorries is expected to meet Young within the next fortnight to discuss whether she will have the Conservative whip restored.
"But, actually, I think we need characters in Parliament and when we have them, we should treasure them."
Dorries is expected to meet Young again within the next fortnight to discuss whether she will have the Conservative whip restored.