This entry was posted on
Thursday, May 26th, 2011 at
10:44 am and is filed
under Anne Milton, Christ…, Tories! Tories! Tories!.
[Background/details for those who are new to this; the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health (Anne Milton) has surprised many (including me) by inviting a religious pro-abstinence, anti-abortion group (LIFE) to take part in “a new sexual health forum set up to replace the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV” (source). A leading abortion provider that places heavy emphasis on contraception (bpas) was displaced as a result (more). Nadine Dorries is a Tory back-bencher anti-abortion campaigner with a relaxed attitude to facts, science and what have you (example) with a history of broadcasting dark accusations/implications about ‘pro abortion’ forces, who she claims/implies are so motivated by profit, that they are likely to convince women to have an abortion when it is not the best solution for them example). All emphasis in bold (below) is mine.]
Yesterday, Nadine Dorries published this claim on her site:
The news that the Government has ejected BPAS from the new sexual health forum and replaced them with the charity LIFE is pleasing… – Nadine Dorries
But later, when she was invited on Newsnight to discuss the matter, she put this to Ann Furedi, who appeared on behalf of bpas:
Unfortunately, bpas has taken its bat and ball home and decided that because it can’t sit as well as Marie Stopes that it won’t be involved. Both organisations were offered alternate week sittings and bpas have decided not to be part of the debate. – Nadine Dorries on Newsnight (segment starts 21:49, comment appears at 25:12 onwards)
I sought a statement from bpas in response, and got the following from Clare Murphy:
We note Nadine Dorries’ blog from yesterday stating that bpas was “ejected” from the group and her pleasure at this development. She went on subsequently however to suggest that we had left of our own volition. This is not true.
bpas and Marie Stopes International (MSI) were both invited to the first meeting in January of the Sexual Health Forum but were asked to share membership, alternating attendance. At the meeting the MSI Vice President and the chief executive of bpas both said that this arrangement was problematic: bpas and MSI have quite different structures, values, objectives and approaches, and that the discontinuity inherent in such an arrangement would make it unworkable. The Department of Health seemed sympathetic and said they would reconsider.
On Thursday of last week, Ann Furedi was told by a Department of Health official that the invitation to bpas was withdrawn and that MSI were being asked to represent the independent sector. The justification was that the Minister had insisted that, in the interests of balance, only one abortion provider could attend and that as Ann Furedi had attended the previous sexual health group, SHIAG (a group made up of personal appointments rather than from representatives from each organisation) it was ‘MSI’s turn’. It was also confirmed that, since the founding meeting, the Minister had insisted that Life be invited to join the Sexual Health Forum.
On Newsnight, Dorries claimed that she had spoken to the Department of Health that very afternoon, and (steel yourselves) this does appear to be a carefully spun briefing against bpas from an unnamed source at the Department of Health (i.e. instead of the more frequent occurrence; a lie or distortion devised by Dorries herself).
So far, no-one in the Department for Health is willing to stand behind any assertion that a bpas decision to exclude their organisation from the debate resulted in LIFE being invited in their place.
There is also this, which I will repeat. It’s a matter of interest to anyone surprised by Anne Milton’s stance on this:
It was also confirmed that, since the founding meeting, the Minister had insisted that Life be invited to join the Sexual Health Forum.
On what grounds did Anne Milton specify LIFE for inclusion (or does she perhaps dispute what bpas claim)?
Either way, I think the public have a right to call Milton on this; to ask her to properly explain her thinking/actions, and to take a clear position on what Dorries has claimed on her department’s behalf.
That said, I am not used to straight answers from Anne Milton, and I fear a sense of disappointment looms.
By georgewpotter1066 May 26, 2011 - 11:11 am
Well, Anne Milton's my MP so I think I might pop down to her constituency office and ask her about this one.
By won'tadmititever June 1, 2011 - 1:15 pm
Would like to know what Anne Milton had to say because Dorries invent's or twist's the facts.
By Martin Milan May 26, 2011 - 5:17 pm
Dorries latest blog post includes a quote from the Department for Health (she doesn't provide the whole thing though…) What she does provide does not support her contention that BPAS decided to take their bat and ball home with them…
By won'tadmititever June 1, 2011 - 1:21 pm
Dorries was ticked off re her Abortion picture "Hand Of Hope" the Doctor who performed the op did NOT say the words Dorries used so Dorries cannot be believed on any issue
This latest Hobby Horse is as always to be either in newspapers, on TV and so on.
Usually her own blog contains many pictures of herself.
She does not provide true facts also claims she is supported by many people again not true.
By maria May 28, 2011 - 10:25 am
I watched her on Newsnight with Anne Furedi. Thought Paxman was using his usual bullying tactic on Furedi. He seemed to let Dorries off.
Look at this bilge. http://www.theopen-road.com/?p=1299 Chek on 'Our Clients' there to see where they are coming from
PS Also a constituent of Milton for my sins..
By maria June 1, 2011 - 10:51 am
Excuse my typos. My hopefully now healing fractured wrist is in a splint.
I have just been reading Dorries' (née Bargery) Wikipedia page. Quite interesting esp. on her marital history. I would say she suffers from an excess of 'chutzpah'.
This article in the Guardian shoots her down nicely. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/the-womens…
To think she has only been in the HoC for six years.
By wontadmititever June 1, 2011 - 1:28 pm
Maria. Did you know Wikipedia has had to be changed? You should read the version from 2006. In fact many of her fantasy stories which commenced 2005 are really worth reading. Alas people don't seem to be able to see just how much poetic licence she has taken.
Her Election promo has also been changed as in 2005 she said she was born on a council estate. The fact is she was NOT. It has since been ammended.
Trying to prove her stories are not true is like trying to catch smoke !!
By maria May 30, 2011 - 6:16 pm
Our dear leaderene Auntie Doris Dorries has had more publicity on the BBC, this time on the One Show tonight. She was adopting that pained weary tone (why don't they understand?) and the condoms on bananas thing was repeated. A tame schoolgirl was brought on seemingly to agree with her. Who in the BBC is pushing her stuff?
By won'tadmititever June 1, 2011 - 4:33 am
Who indeed is pushing this stuff !! If everyone hasn’t realised by now that Dorries will do ANYTHING for notoriety ie Abortion which was incorrect information and now Teenagers, no younger than that, on SAY NO: then something is wrong. I know people who have known Dorries before she became an MP and they can’t believe she managed to become an MP.
But she is renowned for twisting facts: for temper tantrums, for wonderful stories that are mixed and matched so people actually believe her.
The story may be old news but the Flitwick issue really showed Dorries in her true light and if you missed the Video then watch it. It’s an education on Dorries and how she moves very QUICK when in a tight corner lest she be found out !
By maria June 4, 2011 - 10:54 am
She has been more publicity by the BBC. She was on BBC Radio 4 this morning banging on again about the over sexualisation of children .http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9504000/9504473.stm
The main Today webpage gives her top billing.
Who is her friend in the BBC Editorial corridors?
By maria June 4, 2011 - 2:50 pm
I can't believe it! Every time I turn the radio on, she is there sounding off. Today she was on a repeat of yesterday's Any Questions from Wales when she was on the panel. She makes her usual sweeping statements. Topics – legalisation of drugs, care homes and the CQC's role, sexualisation of children, etc etc
She is described as a 'personality'. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qgvj