The Green Party’s Ellie Chowns calling out Nadine Dorries’ terrible take on immigration was a refreshing change. More of this, please

We’re not sure whether the BBC was trying to pull a fast one with their description of former Tory MP, now Reform UK mouthpiece, Nadine Dorries. It certainly looks like it.

Dear BBC Question Time.
Nadine Dorries Columnist and Author. Should it not read Reform UK. This piss poor attempt to try and circumvent the fact that you have yet another Reform Party representative on the show is laughable. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/OHytVTuUDp

— Alethea Bernard (@Tush27J) February 12, 2026

Disappointed not to see any Reform representatives on Question Time. Still, it'll be interesting to hear what 'columnist and author' Nadine Dorries has to say.#bbcqt pic.twitter.com/LNJ3raapS3

— Parody Nigel Farage (@Parody_PM) February 12, 2026

We are being played by the #BBC and #bbcqt again: "Nadine Dorries, Columnist and Author". That should read: Nadine Dorries, Reform UK. pic.twitter.com/Gw7BouIfWe

— Gerry Hassan (@GerryHassan) February 12, 2026

Whatever the label, she’s still spouting the same old nonsense, which on this occasion was about Jim Ratcliffe’s racist comments about immigration.

Nadine Dorries of Reform UK defends Jim Ratcliffe’s disgraceful immigration remarks.

His statistics were wrong, the substance was wrong and the language was wrong- but he was RIGHT.

Errrh?

Complete and utter gibberish. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/BkBcRsM874

— Deirdre Heenan (@deirdreheenan) February 12, 2026

Green Party MP Ellie Chowns called her out for acknowledging that Ratcliffe got the numbers and the words wrong, yet saying he was right. She laid out a very different view of what’s keeping the poorer members of society in a bad place – and it isn’t immigrants.

“Jim Ratcliffe’s comments were outrageous. They are offensive and they were deeply wrong. We do have a problem in our country, and that problem is inequality. It’s not immigration.”

Ellie Chowns on #BBCQT, rejecting attempts to blame migrants for country's problems. pic.twitter.com/BrGn3xEKOa

— The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) February 12, 2026

Ellie Chowns, "Reform UK, before it was the Brexit Party, before when it was UKIP, has been busy for many years fermenting this idea that immigration is the problem in this country"

"It's completely untrue"

"Inequality is the problem in this country"

"The housing problems is… pic.twitter.com/XYVFIyibVJ

— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) February 12, 2026

The usual suspects spluttered themselves puce supporting Dorries and Ratcliffe’s comments. Here’s how the rest of Twitter responded.

1.

The Green Party’s Ellie Chowns MP is right:

“Reform, and before it the Brexit Party, and before it UKIP, have been busy for many years fomenting this idea that immigration is the problem in this country. It’s completely untrue. Inequality is the problem in this country.” #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/V5xCjzCcr5

— Eddie Burfi (@EddieBurfi) February 12, 2026

2.

Ellie Chowns MP, Green Party.
Very articulate and puts Nadine Dorries of the Reform Party firmly back in her box. Mad Nads is not happy. More of this please. #bbcqt #BBCLauraK #r4today#BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/uNxr21Ouzy

— Alethea Bernard (@Tush27J) February 13, 2026

3.

Outstanding and perfectly put https://t.co/2l0FzkRARV

— Rob JL (@WAFCRob) February 12, 2026

4.

About time someone called them out…… https://t.co/KJKwA7gFq9

— dave lawrence 🐟🐟🐠 (@dave43law) February 13, 2026

5.

First they blamed Europe
Now they are blaming immigrants
Then it’s going to be Muslims
Then Jews
Then Sikhs
Then Hindus

This is the billionaire divide and rule playbook

— Jag Dhaliwal (@jagsherd) February 13, 2026

6.

Faced like a smacked arse after Ellie Chowns called out her bollocks and got a very pleasing round of applause from the #bbcqt audience pic.twitter.com/kv6HsLvJuj

— NewFoolFromTheHill (@FoolUpTheHill) February 12, 2026

7.

✅ 💯 correct @EllieChowns

It is not immigration that’s the problem in Britain, it is inequality.

When wealth concentrates at the top, public services strain and communities feel left behind and migrants get blamed instead.#bbcqt #JimRatcliffe pic.twitter.com/Shbsjm1LFp

— Liz Webster (@LizWebsterSBF) February 12, 2026

8.

One would have to presume that is not water in Nadine Dorries’ glass.

Shameless, talentless, self-serving grifter!

Ellie Chowns, however. Excellent performance in spite of Fiona Bruce not STFU. #questiontime #bbcqt

— David Higgs (@TheDavidHiggs) February 12, 2026

9.

As The Jam once sang, ‘That’s Entertainment’ but ‘Dorrieshhhhh’ is certainly an unfunny tragi-jester…

— Michael Rowley (@CastleOnFire) February 12, 2026

10.

Well said, @EllieChowns. The problem isn't immigrants; it is those who arrive and leave by private yacht depending on whether or not the politics or legislation of a country aligns with their personal interests. https://t.co/Xn9PVuJe8P

— ChilternGreenParty (@ChilternGreens) February 13, 2026

Several people made the same point.

Ellie Chowns did a great job of taking down Nadine Dorries for defending Ratcliffe. (Particularly given how much Ellie had been interrupted earlier and scrutinised by Fiona "I don't challenge the RW this aggressively" Bruce).

— Pete Gibson (@PeteGibson2312) February 13, 2026

How weird. That’s not like her.

Source Farrukh Image Screengrab