Dorries' common touch key to reform of arrogant BBC

IT’S fair to say that the most surprising appointment in the recent Cabinet reshuffle was Nadine Dorries being handed the role of Culture Secretary.

- Stephen Pollard

The announcement triggered a torrent of barely concealed snobbery, laced with a good dollop of misogyny.

But strip all that away and it soon becomes clear that the appointment might well be a minor masterstroke. Because there are few MPs more obviously in touch with the views and attitudes of voters.

Ms Dorries has written a string of best-selling novels. They make no claim to great literary merit, but they are certainly books that people want to read in large numbers.

She also infamously appeared on I’m A Celebrity... and ended up losing the Conservative whip for doing so.

Having had a full career behind her outside politics, she is comfortable enough in her own skin to treat the snobs with the contempt they deserve.

Top of her in-tray is the future of the BBC. The corporation exists under a Royal Charter due for renewal in 2027.

In many ways, the BBC is an anachronism. No other broadcaster is funded by a compulsory payment – the £3.52billion licence fee – and viewers are increasingly used to paying more directly for content, either through alternatives like Sky or streaming services like Netflix.