Nadine Dorries MP reveals child sex abuse: ‘You have a dirty, shameful secret’

Nadine Dorries MP has revealed she was sexually abused when she was eight years old.
Nadine Dorries MPNadine Dorries MP
Nadine Dorries MP

Ms Dorries says she was abused for two years by her local vicar Reverend James Cameron who died in 2011.

Despite keeping it a secret for 50 years, the MP for Mid Bedfordshire felt it was time to reveal the truth after publishing her third book.

The trilogy included stories of child sex abuse - and Ms Dorries even named one of her characters after her abuser.

Speaking to Stephen Nolan on BBC Radio 5 live, Ms Dorries said: “They [the books] are not about child sex abuse but I did thread that vein through the three books because I wanted to get my revenge and I wanted him to see it,” she said.

“I wrote his name in the third book and then a journalist told me on the day it was published that he died in 2011. So I’ve been writing all that, but he’s already dead.”

The Conservative MP who grew up in Liverpool admitted she never confronted her abuser or reported him to police. And up until now, she had not even told her family.

Ms Dorries said her abuse first began when her mother started working at the local church.

She said: “That’s when I’d wake up in the middle of the night and he was by my bed,” she said.

“From that moment on, you just become totally different from everyone else in society. You are unlike all of your friends.

“You have this dirty, shameful, disgusting knowledge that no-one else has, and it’s just awful.

“It was just my secret that I’ve carried around for a very long time.

“I’ve had to speak to my mum, I’ve had to tell my daughters. That was hard enough.”

The Church of England plans to launch a full investigation, but a spokesman confirmed this was the first claim the church was aware of regarding Rev Cameron.

The Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Paul Butler, who is lead Bishop for safeguarding in the Church of England, said: “I want to express my deep sorrow to Nadine Dorries.

“This allegation is a reminder that any abuse which happens within the Church is a matter of deep regret and shame. There are no excuses for this.

“We will be working with statutory authorities and others in Liverpool to carry out a full investigation.”