Nadine Dorries MP, How Very Could You? Q7-16 About Your Nursing Career

Appeared as part of the Nuts in November series on 10 November 2009.

Question 7: The official CV issued by Conservative Central Office (aka Central Casting Operations) in 2000 for your off-on Hazel Grove candidacy states that you trained as a nurse at Warrington General Hospital from 1975 to 1978. I make that at least two and a bit up to just under four years years. On the face of it three years. Is that right?

Question 8: Were you a "Pupil Nurse" becoming a State Enrolled Nurse, known in other countries as "Practical Nurse" or "Level 2 Nurse", a role now carried out by auxiliaries and assistants; or were you a "Student Nurse" attempting to become a State Registered Nurse, now known as Registered General Nurse or specialist equivalents?

Question 9: If it were the latter - "Student Nurse" studying to be SRN - did you in fact pass the exams and qualify at that grade? Or not pass or not finish and become an SEN?

Question 10: If it were the former - "Pupil Nurse" studying to be SEN - are you at all concerned that you have over-egged the pudding qualifications wise?

Question 11: The Central Casting CV goes on to state that after a one year career break - apparently 1979-1980 - you returned to work in the Royal Liverpool Teaching Hospital before moving to London, and "worked at a number of main hospitals before working as a medical rep". Can you please tell us how much of this period was nursing and whether this was as an Agency Nurse?

Question 12: And following this up, when exactly did you switch to being a medical rep, what were you pushing, and were you doing the odd nursing shift alongside this work?

Question 13: You tell an anecdote yourself about being a 19-year-old nurse, and it all going horribly wrong to your eyes, and others suggesting that you should probably leave as you didn't have the right stomach or attitude for the job. Did you not actually follow that advice? If not why not?

Question 14: When you took over the mantle from your estranged (ex-?) hubby (?) Paul as the politico in the household and were first selected, then almost dumped, then reinstated as PPC in Hazel Grove local people believed from your comments and statements that you were a staunch pro-choice candidate.

Setting your face against Mr Martin Milner (Lab) who was staunchly anti-choice, and Andrew Stunnell the incumbent then and now, confused then and now, but dithering marginally on the anti-choice side. Was that in fact the case?

Question 15: When did you come to change your view, stated at Hazel Grove almost 25 years after your hospital culture-shock, to trying instead to HALF the usual limit for legal abortion?

Question 16: You have roundly criticised women taking actually rather small contributions to selection campaigns from Emily's List which expects no anti-choice positions from those they assist in getting on the ballot paper. Do you feel any obligations to any interest group in the other direction yourself?

That's all for the moment. Back with more before too long.