Tory MP’s wife attacks Nadine Dorries in Twitter row as husband tested for coronavirus

Andrew Bridgen’s family ‘jeopardised’ by his contact with health minister, wife claims

The wife of a quarantined Conservative MP, Andrew Bridgen, has sparked a row with Nadine Dorries, accusing the health minister of having “jeopardised” her husband’s family after she was infected with coronavirus.

Nevena Bridgen, whose husband is self-isolating as he awaits a test for the disease, claimed Ms Dorries had put her elderly mother and young son at risk by failing to tell medics about her contact with her fellow Tory.

The health minister became the first MP diagnosed with coronavirus on Tuesday.

Mr Bridgen, the MP for North West Leicestershire, confirmed on Thursday he was self-isolating after having lunch with Ms Dorries last week.

He said he had “a cough and a cold” and was working from home as he awaited a test.

Ms Bridgen, a Serbian opera singer, berated Ms Dorries on Twitter on Friday after the health minister praised the NHS contact tracers who had been working to find anyone who might be at risk of infection.

“Why you did not tell them that you set next to my husband Andrew Bridgen on Thursday in a tea room and that he can’t get the test now,” she said.

“I have the baby and a 75 years old mother jeopardised.You were treated but no one is coming to help us!”

Ms Dorries defended herself, responding: “Because, I did not sit next to your husband. He was in tea room when I walked in, on another table not close to me.

“He text me and told me he had sat next to me, I was too ill to discuss but not sick enough not to know that wasn’t true. I told him if he was worried, to call 111.”

The health minister has said she first felt symptoms of coronavirus on Friday, 6 March — the day after the lunch.

Two other MP have also self-isolated following contact with Ms Dorries, including international development secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

Ms Trevelyan said on Friday she had tested negative for the virus, but will stay at home for seven days as a precaution.

Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk is also self-isolating after he was contacted by Public Health England officials who were carrying out “contact tracing” over Ms Dorries.