Nadine Dorries Flies Back To Face The Music

A defiant Nadine Dorries has flown back to the UK to face the music over her controversial decision to take part in I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!.

The MP for Mid Bedfordshire insisted she would "do it again tomorrow" as she arrived at Heathrow Airport to be met by a barrage of reporters.

The outspoken Tory backbencher is expected to meet Chief Whip Sir George Young "soon", according to party sources.

Ms Dorries was suspended from the Conservative Party after it emerged she was joining the ITV reality show set in the Australian jungle.

But at the airport, she denied she was due to attend a summit with Sir George, and said: "The press are giving the impression the whip has been withdrawn. It hasn't."

She has already sparked a row by insisting that former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell had given her permission to have a month away from Parliament.

Mr Mitchell told Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig that she had never asked him and the first he knew of it was when the publicity about the show began.

Ms Dorries claimed the storm was unjustified after stepping off the plane, declaring: "I've had three sitting days away from Parliament. The rest has been over half-term.

"There are still MPs who have been away for two weeks and still haven't returned. I've had three sitting days away. I think that is an important thing to remember."

Asked about the reaction of some of her constituents, she added: "What they are angry about is what they have read in the newspapers, which is not the truth."

Ms Dorries, who was the first contestant to be voted off the programme last week, had been expected to stay in Australia until next month but has come home early.

She has come out fighting since her exit, claiming at the weekend that the criticism was fuelled by "jealousy", particularly among other female MPs.

The MP justified her decision to go on the programme by insisting it would allow her to reach out to a wider audience.

She insisted she was not disappointed to be the first to be kicked out, describing it as a "fantastic experience".

During her stay in the jungle, she had to endure several bushtucker trials - including eating ostrich anus and being covered in maggots and other bugs.

She is reported to have been paid £40,000 for taking part and has already pledged to give her MP's salary for the period she was away to charity.