TV star-turned-activist Carol Vorderman has been forced to retract allegations of cronyism against Tory chairman Greg Hands. Vorderman deleted 22 tweets in which she accused Hands of "illegal corruption" by awarding a £25.8 million Covid contract to his "mate". The claims were widely shared by left-wing figures, including Labour politicians. Hands, who took legal action to secure the retraction, called on Vorderman to apologize for spreading harmful misinformation.
Claims amplified by celebrities and left-wing enablers
In an interview, Hands emphasized the power of celebrities like Vorderman and the "lefty enablers" who amplify their claims. He stressed the importance of holding them accountable, especially when it comes to spreading misinformation that can be harmful.
Criticism from an arch critic of the Conservative Government
As an arch critic of the Conservative Government, Vorderman frequently posts attacks on social media. Her claims against Hands revolved around his involvement in forwarding an offer to supply ventilators during the Covid pandemic. Hands, whose role was to help secure pandemic equipment, denied any impropriety and stated that he treated all requests equally.
Vorderman's retraction and a call for a full apology
Early in the morning, Vorderman issued a statement on Twitter, acknowledging Mr. Hands' assurance that he had no impropriety in the contract awarding process. However, Hands called on Vorderman to issue a full apology, as she only stopped short of it.
Labour MP Karl Turner, who had echoed Vorderman's claims, had not deleted his tweet as of last night.
