Nadine Dorries, the Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire, is to step down from her position with immediate effect.

In a statement published on Twitter today (Friday, June 9), Ms Dorries said: "It has been an honour to serve as the MP for such a wonderful constituency but it is now time for another to take the reins."

There will now be a by-election in Mid Bedfordshire to elect a new MP for the constituency.

The former culture secretary had been tipped to take a place in the House of Lords as part of Boris Johnson's resignation honours list.

But when that list was published shortly after Ms Dorries' statement, her name was not on it. Some media outlets are reporting that she was removed from the list to avoid the prospect of a by-election in Mid Beds.

Earlier this year, Ms Dorries had said that she would stand down as an MP at the next general election, which is expected to take place in 2024.

Speaking on TalkTV this morning - the same day she resigned - Ms Dorries said that bringing about a by-election was "the last thing she would want to do".