"Honest and Precise" Nadine Dorries: Slags Off Our Forces

When Nadine Dorries MP starts lecturing that: "In the battlefield of politics, it is important to be both honest and precise" I think we can all see the problem with that.

Honestly speaking Ms Nadine Dorries has no "main home", precisely none whatsoever. But she claims the Telegraph have got it wrong. And despite the proposed David Van Day "Battle of the Blond(e)s" she is currently getting away with it.

To be "honest" and "precise" very little of the political spun version of Nadine's life story actually seems to check out. And her pronouncements on abortion are of course largely bogus. Leaving aside the matter of her conversion from being the pro-choice candidate in Hazel Grove in 2001. They are just unscientific claptrap.

Nadine Dorries MP was questioned on her local newspaper letters page by the Labour PPC David Reeves over what appear, objectively speaking, to be her rather high-sided travel claims, compared to neighbouring constituencies.

In passing David mentioned his service in Iraq. He said in a letter for publication that the MPs’ expenses scandal "threatens to undermine the very democracy I fought for as a soldier in Iraq in 2003."

But the champion of "honest and precise" misquoted him at the get go. She said: “You can imagine, when I read the words ‘I fought as a soldier in Iraq’ I was quite impressed. Gosh, thought I, good job I’m the MP or I may be tempted to vote for him."

Presumably she doesn't have a vote in Woburn? As this is only her "second home"? She allegedly lives in the Cotswold town of "Chiseling Expenses" after all? But Mr Reeves' statement, as reported in Beds on Sunday rings true from beginning to end:

In a statement he said: “I am concerned that Nadine is using my service in Iraq as an attempt to deflect attention away from the unanswered questions of expenses.

All soldiers fought for democracy in Iraq, but I did not fight in combat. I spent time in Iraq on the ground and in the air with British and multi national coalition forces in my role as an Intelligence Corps soldier.”

Mr Reeves added: “I encountered several difficult and dangerous situations.

"Two of my roles included preparing for an aerial surveillance mission, and a ground inspection of the Iranian border with Danish, Dutch and Italian personnel, gathering information on narcotic smuggling.

“As you would appreciate, much of the nature of my work was secret. I spent time on board helicopters and Nimrod surveillance aircraft gathering information to assist the Commander in planning missions. I also travelled in and around Basra City and neighbouring provinces by road.

“The threat of Improvised Explosive Devices was high and real. On one occasion, I passed through a stretch of road where five minutes later an IED exploded seriously injuring several British soldiers.

“On another day my vehicle was mobbed by a crowd of protestors throwing stones. All soldiers who serve in Iraq and Afghanistan are on the front line, regardless of unit and role.”

Ms Nadine Dorries MP is belittling the service of the Territorial Army and indeed the regular Army and all other forces by quibbling over who has and has not "fought for democracy" as opposed to "fought in combat". Mr Reeves now knows that, if Ms Dorries survives calls for her de-selection, she will be quite the rattlesnake. Though hardly the guardian of honesty and precision.