Dorries’ words are her Bond as book sources are given fake names

Warts-and-all account of Boris Johnson’s downfall may use 007 characters to avoid embarrassing MPS

‘That doesn’t sound like it’s going to unravel, does it? A journalist will work out who is who in 30 seconds’

CONSERVATIVE MPS could be given the names of James Bond characters to preserve their anonymity in a probing account of an alleged three-year plot to bring down Boris Johnson.

Nadine Dorries, a novelist and former culture secretary, has started writing a book called The Plot about Mr Johnson’s removal from office by his own party’s MPS. Sources close to the book say that it tracks how Mr Johnson’s enemies sought to weaken him, starting as many as three years ago, and brought him down over a series of scandals in the summer. He quit after losing the confidence of dozens of Conservative MPS after scandals over Downing St lockdown parties and his handling of sleaze scandals involving senior Tories.

Mr Johnson’s supporters are hoping that the book will set the record straight. It could paint the former prime minister as a victim of power struggles with the likes of Dominic Cummings, his former adviser, and Michael Gove, a key Cabinet minister. It has been given the private blessing of Mr Johnson, who was travelling in the Far East this week. He has told one MP: “Tell her everything.”

Ms Dorries – a key ally and a cheerleader for Mr Johnson – is working through a list of up to 15 Conservative MPS, and allies of Mr Johnson, as part of her research. Sources say Ms Dorries wants to disguise their identities by using names from Ian Fleming’s books.

One MP said: “It is not going to be a work of fiction but the sources will be ascribed a Bond character to protect the innocent. One or two small things will be changed around, a few things might be attributed to someone else. Boris’s narrative will run through the middle.”

The book was initially to have been called ‘The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson’. However, Ms Dorries has now chosen a more arresting and straightforward title: The Plot.

The MP added: “It is a factual account with sources given Bond names. She is doing recorded interviews with people now. She is piecing together the timings. At some point she will lock herself in a dark room, or go away, and complete the book.”

Some MPS are discussing which MPS will be given which Bond characters if Ms Dorries goes ahead with her plan. One said: “We are planning a sweepstake.”

Not all Tory MPS are delighted about the plan, and fear it could go wrong. One mocked: “That doesn’t sound like it will unravel does it? It is going to take a journalist 30 seconds to work out who is who.”

Ms Dorries, who was helping constituents yesterday, declined requests for a comment. She will write the book at the same time as fulfilling her role as the MP for Mid-bedfordshire. A successful novelist, she agreed a six-figure deal with Head of Zeus, a publisher, for the world rights to three novels in 2017. That came after an earlier deal for three books she signed in 2013.

One book continued her Angels series, which follows the lives of the nurses of Lovely Lane, while the others were said to be “rags to riches” tales set in 1950s Liverpool and Ireland.

The books may not have been to the liking of critics but the public lapped them up and royalties flooded in – she received £19,000 in royalties and £154,000 in book advances in the 11 months to October 2019.

Ms Dorries was so prolific that she submitted three books she had written early before joining Boris Johnson’s Government in July 2019.