Nadine Dorries was rinsed during Channel 4’s election night coverage after she tried to portray Boris Johnson as a working-class hero.
The former culture secretary appeared alongside Emily Maitlis and The Rest is Politics duo Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart on the election night programme, and it didn’t take long for things to get a bit heated on the show.
A confrontation broke out between Maitlis and Dorries over Boris Johnson, who has enjoyed the unrequited love of his former secretary of state ever since he was booted out of Number 10.
“You are funny, let’s be honest. You call David Cameron a posh boy but Boris Johnson has been to the exact same school and had the same upbringing, is absolutely fine”, Maitlis said.
“They’re all very privileged people, but somehow you chose the one you love”
Nadine Dorries responded by arguing that Johnson had “no money” growing up, adding that he “knows what hardship is like”, which prompted a bemused reaction from Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
She also claimed that the ex-PM went to Eton on a scholarship, which is only partly true.
Johnson did receive a scholarship to Eton which covered some of the fees, but it came from the excellent teaching he received at the prep school he attended from 8 to 13, Ashdown House.
Ashdown’s fees are currently £27,450.
Boris’ siblings went to Ashdown as well, and then other expensive public schools.
At today’s rates, the peak school fees bill for the Johnson family was around £110,000/year, to be paid for out of after-tax income or more probably, family wealth).
Related: Wales becomes a Tory-free country
