Mid Bedfordshire MP’s delay in officially resigning is “frustrating” as a constituent, but the Conservative candidate said he is using the extra time to share his message.

He added that Boris Johnson is “not even an issue any more” and that it’s time to move on.

Back in June, Nadine Dorries tweeted that she is standing down as Mid Bedfordshire’s MP “with immediate effect”.

Before her resignation tweet Ms Dorries told TalkTV that “the last thing I would want to do would be to cause a by-election” in her seat.

As she has yet to officially resign there is no by-election, which has left candidates for the next Mid Bedfordshire MP in limbo.

The Conservative candidate, Festus Akinbusoye was asked if by delaying her resignation Ms Dorries was harming his chances.

“I don’t,” he said. “Ultimately it would be what people decide when they vote.

“I am using [the] time to just get the message out there about what I want to do if I’m elected as a member of parliament.”

But is this delay frustrating him at all?

“It frustrates me as a constituent, she is my MP so I totally share the frustration of the people of Mid Bedfordshire,” he said.

“I certainly want us to go ahead with the by-election as soon as possible.

“But look, I have a good working relationship with her like I have with the other MPs and councillors of different political parties in Bedfordshire as [police and crime commissioner].

“I don’t have any special powers or levers to pull over Ms Dorries,” he said.

Ms Dorries gave Mr Akinbusoye a glowing reference when he was selected as a candidate, describing him as “one of the best people I know” and that he was “genuine, principled with a track record of delivery”.

But it was reported by the Independent (June 15) that she warned that Conservative MPs who support the privileges committee’s “Partygate” findings were “fundamentally not” Conservative and would be “held to account” – and warned that “de-selections may follow”.

So, does Mr Akinbusoye back Boris Johnson?

“As far as I’m aware it’s members of the party associations who choose to re-adopt MP’s not CCHQ [Conservative Campaign Headquarters], not Number 10. [It] is entirely down to local associations,” he said.

“But of course Nadine has her own views about things, and I respect that.”

He added: “Boris is not even an issue any more, he’s not an MP, he’s not in Parliament any more,” Mr Akinbusoye replied.

“He doesn’t make policy for anyone in Mid Bedfordshire, and I think we need to move on.

“Rather than looking back at the past. let’s look at the future and what we can do for Mid Bedfordshire and make this a really good place for people to want to live in,” he said.

Ms Dorries’ office was approached for a comment, but did not respond by the time of publication.