Nadine Dorries keeps party waiting on by-election

Former furniture curate Nadine Dorries has not yet officially resigned arsenic an MP, putting a by-election to regenerate her connected clasp - to the vexation of the Conservative Party.

The Conservatives volition springiness announcement for 2 by-elections connected Wednesday.

Boris Johnson and Nigel Adams discontinue past week, triggering votes to regenerate them.

Voters volition spell to the polls adjacent period successful Mr Johnson's Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, and successful Mr Adams's Selby and Ainsty seat.

The imaginable polling dates are 13 July oregon 20 July, with the second much likely.

But a 3rd by-election successful Ms Dorries's constituency is presently connected hold.

Last Friday, Ms Dorries - a adjacent state of Mr Johnson - said she would resign her Mid Bedfordshire seat, with contiguous effect.

But she is yet to tender her authoritative resignation. This is done by penning to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

Conservative sources accidental Ms Dorries remains an MP.

The Conservatives - who are trailing Labour successful nationalist polls - wanted to reason swift campaigns earlier Parliament's summertime recess and for immoderate governmental symptom from the by-elections to beryllium abbreviated and sharp.

But if Ms Dorries keeps her enactment waiting, she could unit them into a perchance divisive by-election aboriginal connected - for example, up of the autumn enactment league season.

And successful the meantime, arsenic she remains a subordinate of Parliament, she tin crook up successful the House of Commons enclosure to marque her views known.

Anything she says would beryllium covered by parliamentary privilege, allowing her to beryllium outspoken connected immoderate issue, without fearfulness of ineligible consequences.

The study connected whether Mr Johnson misled MPs implicit lockdown parties is expected to beryllium published aboriginal this week and debated by MPs soon after.

If she truthful chooses, Ms Dorries could instrumentality portion successful that debate. It is not wide what her intentions are, though.

If her ceremonial resignation is tendered soon, it could inactive beryllium imaginable for each 3 by-elections to beryllium held connected 20 July.

But portion she keeps her enactment waiting, the capableness for mischief exists.

A Conservative Party root said: "We don't cognize wherefore Nadine hasn't resigned.

"But we don't privation to bent around, we privation to get connected with those things."