Carol Vorderman Unfazed by Criticism from Tories
Television presenter Carol Vorderman has expressed her indifference towards potential job losses amid her criticism of the government. The former Countdown star, aged 62, has engaged in Twitter disputes with Conservative MPs, including Conservative chairman Greg Hands. Vorderman, however, remains undeterred, stating, “It doesn’t bother me… I’ll tell you why. I’m knocking on 63. I’ve made my money. I’ve been through it all. What’s the worst that can happen? That I’ll lose some jobs? Fine by me. Bring it on. They can sling what they like at me.”
Vorderman’s career includes appearances on popular shows such as Loose Women, This Morning, and Lorraine. She has also been a contestant on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and is currently hosting a show on BBC Radio Wales.
This recent clash with Greg Hands stemmed from Vorderman’s tweets regarding Hands’ involvement in a lifestyle firm that was awarded a £25.8 million PPE contract in 2020. Nevertheless, Vorderman took to Twitter to express her acceptance of Hands’ assurance that his role was merely to refer the approach and that there was no impropriety on his part.
Throughout the past year, Vorderman has engaged in other disputes with Tory MPs. In one incident, she called on the women’s minister, Maria Caulfield, to resign after the minister failed to attend a committee hearing about the menopause. Caulfield, who is also the Minister for Women’s Health Strategy, responded by stating that she was “not a punch bag” and would block anyone who posted misleading information about her.
Public Interest in Vorderman Remains Strong
Despite facing criticism, Vorderman shared that people of all ages express their admiration for her work when they meet her in public. According to Vorderman, even those who claim to support the Tories are aware that it is not entirely true.
Over the past year, several contracts related to the COVID-19 pandemic were given priority treatment by the government. Some contracts were placed in a “VIP lane” as the government struggled to procure sufficient protective equipment. A Public Accounts Committee report indicated a rushed approach resembling panic buying, though it could not definitively conclude that emails from Tory peers led to preferential treatment for certain businesses.
Vorderman remarked, “They tried to persuade us that we weren’t bothered about Partygate, but we were and we are not forgetting it. And also, the ‘VIP lane’ is massively emotional, as it bloody well should be.”
Johnny Mercer, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, has also engaged in public disputes with Vorderman, branding her a “deeply unpleasant person” on social media. In turn, Vorderman has criticized Mercer’s performance as a minister. It is worth noting, however, that over a decade ago, Michael Gove appointed Vorderman as the head of the maths taskforce, and she has also testified before the Women and Equalities Committee on the topic of menopause.