Nadine Dorries book on Boris Johnson's 'political assassination' hit by delay

31 August 2023 , 11:36

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'The Plot' will now be released six weeks later than planned - on November 9. (Image: Getty Images)

Best-selling novelist Nadine Dorries's new book boasting to detail the so-called "dark arts" behind Boris Johnson's "political assassination" has been delayed.

First promised on the eve of the Tories' annual conference next month, the 352-page tome promises to make the hit TV-series House of Cards "appear tame". But in a statement on Thursday, the former Culture Secretary's publisher HarperCollins non-fiction said "The Plot" will now be released six weeks later - on November 9.

The "small delay", according to the publisher, "is necessary to allow for the high volume of material the author has consulted, the number of high-level sources spoken to, and the required legal process needed to share her story".

The promised cover of ex-MP Nadine Dorries's 'The Plot'

The story of "treachery and deceit" - for which Ms Dorries recieved a partial advance of £20,500 - comes over a year after Mr Johnson was forced from office after a series of self-inflicted scandals that rocked his premiership. In June he also resigned from the Commons - weeks before MPs endorsed a report ruling he did mislead MPs when he denied lockdown-busting parties in No10 during the Covid crisis.

But Ms Dorries - boasting about her forthcoming book - said: "What began as an investigation into how Boris Johnson was removed from office ultimately revealed a corruption of democracy deep at the heart of the Conservative Party and in Downing Street.

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"Secrecy, fear and the cloak of anonymity have protected those who wield power in the shadows, until now. It makes the House of Cards appear tame, but this is no made up tale, it's for real and for the first time, their political dark arts are about to be revealed".

It comes just days after the former Tory Cabinet Minister - a close ally of ex-PM Mr Johnson - finally resigned from the Commons on Tuesday. Ms Dorries first announced her decision to quit with "immediate effect" almost on June 9, but delayed the process by almost 12 weeks.

Speaking at the weekend, she also delivered a scathing assessment of her party's chances at the next election. Asked by TalkTV if Mr Sunak could lead the Tories to victory, she said: “I have to say my answer to that question is no. I don’t think so. I think it’s very very unlikely.”

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Ashley Cowburn