So without regurgitating every word of my MPs latest blog, I have watched with interest the storm that has happened on Twitter. Ian Montgomerie and Sally Bercow both retweeted or made reference to her latest blog post in what would appear to be a supportive way. Sally Bercow even mentioned that she had received abuse for doing so, though her twitter timeline would suggest otherwise. Are we living in a country where criticism is now described as abuse. I know Mrs Dorries has a tendency to scream "Abuse" at everything, but then if I am being honest, there IS a degree of abuse on Twitter about her, which I think weakens the argument. I myself must hold my hand up and admit that my less than favourable comments have at time bordered on abusive, and I genuinely regret being reduced to that. However, I must also say, that behind all of the comments and attention and in a few rare cases abuse, is a real heartfelt worry about her conduct as an MP. I follow Tim Ireland on Twitter. I have met him once, at the famous Flitwick hustings event, and I have exchanged the occasional tweet and email. I am happy to report, that he is never abusive, or threatening or aggressive. There are many of us on Twitter who are deeply angry and frustrated at Mrs Dorries conduct, and we do not feel that there is any way in which we can be heard. She does not allow comments on her blog, she has left twitter, she has refused to accept email correspondence, and letters are not replied to. If you do as much as follow someone she dislikes on twitter, like Tim for example, you are smeared. The majority of us who follow Tim are either "Disturbed" or "Not very bright". I strongly object to this sweeping generalisation, and I would love the opportunity to debate this with Mrs Dorries. However, I cannot get access to her. She is my representative in Parliament, I am a tax payer, and I have no access to her. This is not democracy. The local newspapers continue their love in, and refuse to print letters that are critical of her. I know of several letters that were sent after the Flitwick hustings meeting to complain about her behaviour, but they did not print one letter, and on phoning their office I was told that none where received. It makes it impossible to hold her in anything other than very low regard. I get sick and tired of hearing about MPs private lives and their affairs. It has no interest for me, and should have no impact on their ability to do the job. However, Mrs Dorries chose to highlight her affair, and all the tabloid details of it. She spends so much time on her blog attacking constituents, smearing opponents and crusading for one or two causes, that I wonder why so little mention is given to her actual constituency business. I am afraid that the occasional picture with someone with SEN does not go far enough to convince me that she has anyone other than herself at the heart of everything she does.
The problem I have, and this is difficult to describe adequately, is that she displays the behaviour of someone who is genuinely unwell. I want to hold her to account, and criticise where I think it is appropriate, but I am beginning to wonder whether this criticism could be construed as unfair given her unusual and erratic behaviour. Perhaps I am concerned over nothing, and her behaviour is simply indicative of someone who is genuinley not very nice and not very good at her job. I like to see the good in everyone though, so I will be very careful in how I talk about her in the future, in case my suspicions are correct.
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