UK prime minister rejig sees culture secretary Nadine Dorries step down

Controversial culture secretary Nadine Dorries, who had oversight of the UK’s media and TV industry, is stepping down from the role following prime minister Boris Johnson’s resignation. 

The MP for Mid Bedfordshire served her notice hours after Liz Truss won the Conservative leadership contest to become the country’s next prime minister. Her replacement, who is not yet known, will be the seventh culture secretary in the space of five years.

Dorries, who was appointed to the role less than 12 months ago, is expected to be given a peerage in Johnson’s resignation honours list – a move which would give the outspoken BBC critic a permanent position in the House of Lords.

The MP’s tenure as culture secretary will be remembered most within the TV industry for her aggressive campaigning to privatise Channel 4 in spite of wide opposition from producers and the broadcaster itself.

Tory MPs Penny Mordaunt and Kemi Badenoch, two Truss loyalists, have been tipped to serve as the next secretary for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.