Nadine Dorries says dyslexia made her muddle words in videoon April 23, 2022 at 5:18 pm

The culture secretary has said dyslexia caused her to mix up her words in a video that has been shared on social media.

In the TikTok video, Nadine Dorries talks about being able to “downstream” instead of download films online and refers to tennis courts as “pitches”.

She said it was tough seeing commentators “mock me for something that is beyond my control”.

“I have dyslexia, which means that when I speak I often run my words together.”

In the video, posted on Friday by Conservative MP Luke Evans on his TikTok account, he asks the cabinet minister about what her government department does.

She tweeted on Saturday to defend herself against the criticism she faced over the terms she used in the video, saying it can be difficult finding the right expression when speaking.

“Dyslexia affects people differently. For me, it affects my speech more than my writing, which is why I find solace in writing”, she said.

In the video Ms Dorries also says: “We want to make the internet in the UK is the safest internet in the world.”

In her tweet, Ms Dorries said it can be “difficult” being in front of a camera, writing a book or just speaking to a friend.

“I’ve been in politics a long time and you grow a thick skin. It’s why I haven’t spoken publicly much about how it affects me.

“For other dyslexia sufferers, we learn that it’s what you achieve in life that counts, not what those who mock you say.”

The NHS describes dyslexia as a common learning difficulty that mainly causes problems with reading, writing and spelling.

It is estimated that one in every 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.