Tory MPs furious with prime minister after he joked that pro-life MP was 'frustrated'
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Nadine Dorries won widespread support from Tory MPs after David Cameron joked that she was 'frustrated'. Photograph: David Levene
Many Tory MPs are spitting tacks this evening over David Cameron's treatment of Nadine Dorries at Prime Minister's Questions today.
MPs believe Cameron resorted to what one Tory described as the "worst of the Bullingdon" to humiliate Dorries shortly before she launched an unsuccessful bid to strip abortion providers of their role in counselling.
My colleague Hélène Mulholland has written an account of the exchanges which prompted Dorries to walk out of the chamber for a few minutes. Tories MPs, including supporters of the prime minister, are angry at the way in which Cameron laughed when he joked that Dorries was "frustrated" at the influence of the Liberal Democrats in government.
This is what one well placed Tory told me:
The prime minister's behaviour was despicable. It was the worst of the Bullingdon. It was a total demolition of Nadine Dorries on a personal basis.
The prime minister made no effort to engage in the argument. It is deeply unpleasant. But then that is no surprise. Just look at George Osborne's face when the prime minister told a female Labour MP to 'calm down dear'. His faced creased with laughter. They just think it is all a joke.
Paul Goodman, the former Conservative MP who is now an editor at ConservativeHome, was quick to express Tory unease just after PMQs. This is how he concluded his review of PMQs:
And, finally, Nadine Dorries asked a typically direct question to Cameron, asking - with Lib Dem opposition to her abortion amendment clearly in mind - about a series of concessions, ending with the question: "Isn't it about time he told the Deputy Prime Minister who is the boss?" The Prime Minister may not have meant to put her down by first saying that he knows she's "frustrated", and then giving up his answer after laughter from MPs, but that was the effect. It was somehow displeasing.
This is what James Forsyth wrote at Coffee House:
I suspect that this PMQs will be remembered for the Cameron Nadine Dorries exchange. Dorries, irritated by how Cameron withdrew support for her abortion amendment as soon as the Lib Dems started kicking off, asked the Prime Minister when he would tell 'the deputy Prime Minister who is boss?' Cameron replied 'I know the honourable lady is extremely frustrated' at which the House descended into puerile laughter. The double entendre appeared unintentional, Cameron seemed slightly taken aback by the House's reaction at first, but having made it he should have tried to respectfully answer her question rather than just sitting down.