Nadine Dorries MP on QT: "Like Two Planets Colliding"

Haven't had much time to blog today. But I have had a chance to review what one of my preview commentators said took the Birkenhead Car Crash, doubled and trebled it and organised two planets colliding instead. Another suggested Nads was "not too bad" until at 48:51 in she claimed that Trident Nuclear Weapons are not WMDs.

Perhaps some close textual analysis later. She didn't say much, literally didn't say much, in the first half. But in the meantime I spotted a horrific DNA gaffe at about 35:00. Nadine appeared to believe that in Scotland the DNA of convicted sex and/or violence criminals are thrown away after three to five years. And what's more that that is correct. In fact this applies to those found not proven and innocent. That is such a huge cock up.

At around 46 minutes in having been wittering about party political motives for moving the service depot for Nuclear-powered, not Nuclear-armed subs to the Clyde Nads was put in her place by an audience member who pointed out that there was only a second service depot in the South West because the Tories put it there ... Bruce Anderson having already pointed out that Labour could lose in the SW through this decision.

At 48:00 Nadine committed the Tories to Trident Bombs ... for ever and at 48:51 to all round incredulity she claimed that Trident Missiles are not WMD and launched a smear on Irani diplomacy to the effect that if we got round the table with them they would literally blow up the table. Lots of ignorant drivel about Trident and 9-11. At 53:00 Nads was saved by Dimbleby from attempting an answer to a question which she was clearly not equipped to answer.

Question at this point: Why was she on at all? Nadine Dorries was incredibly weak. The worry for Cameron of course must be that if he does get 100 new MPs many of these will be muppets like her. And Jacob Rees-Mogadon at the other end of the space cadet IQ roll.

The rest of the panel I thought were extremely strong all round. Iain Gray leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament was excellent, Nicola Sturgeon strong, Baron David Steel masterly in his reasonableness, and even Bruce Anderson was solid and at the relatively thoughtful and diplomatic end of his personal spectrum.