THE UK Government has been branded “out of control” after the Culture Secretary publicly censured the BBC’s political editor.

In a now-deleted tweet, Nadine Dorries responded to a report by Laura Kuenssberg about Boris Johnson’s meeting with backbench MPs on the 1922 Committee.

The Prime Minister, who has faced a backlash over reforms to the Parliamentary standards system, met with disgruntled party colleagues on Wednesday night.

Kuenssberg tweeted: “After PMQs, then Liaison Committe, PM then went to face his own MPs at the 1922 committee - one texts to say, he 'looked weak and sounded weak' , 'authority is evaporating'.”

Dorries, responding directly to the BBC political editor, wrote: “Laura, I very much like and respect you, but we both know, that text is ridiculous, although nowhere near as ridiculous as the person – obviously totally desperate for your attention – who sent it.”

The Culture Secretary, who has accused the BBC of bias and elitism, quickly removed the tweet.

The National:

However, the Tory minister soon came in for criticism.

Labour MP Karl Turner commented: “I’m concerned that @NadineDorries publicly tells off @bbclaurak on here then rapidly deleted the tweet.

“What’s going on? Does Sec of State actually believe that she is Laura Kuenssberg’s gaffer? How terribly embarrassing. This Government is completely out of control.”

READ MORE: Nadine Dorries red-faced as furious attack on BBC backfires spectacularly

Dorries was confronted about the tweet in the Commons.

Labour's shadow culture secretary, Jo Stevens, said: "We have spent much of the past two weeks talking about standards in public office and on this side of the House we care deeply about the independence and the impartiality of the BBC.

"I know the Secretary of State also cares to the extent that she actually has the time to police the BBC’s political editor’s tweets and publicly rebuke her."

But the Culture Secretary insisted her post had been "misrepresented". 

"I did not rebuke Laura Kuenssberg, somebody who is maybe ... the best in the business actually, very professional, very polite tweet.

"The tweet was completely misinterpreted. I was not rebuking Laura Kuenssberg and never would."

Last month it emerged that Dorries had issued the BBC with an ultimatum, telling bosses she would not talk with them about the licence fee settlement until after they put forward reforms to deal with what she perceives as bias and elitism.

The Culture Secretary has insisted the corporation deliver plans to address impartiality, “group think” and “moral superiority”.

It was reported that BBC director-general Tim Davie agreed to make a “significant intervention” on impartiality in the coming weeks.

Dorries also came in for flak after reportedly claiming “Nick Robinson has cost the BBC a lot of money” following what she considered to be an overly critical interview with the Prime Minister during the Conservative Party conference.

The BBC and the UK Government have been approached for comment.