AN MP suspended from the Tory party in Parliament today – after he compared the Covid vaccine rollout to the Holocaust.
Comments from Andrew Bridgen, the MP for North West Leicestershire, were described by fellow Tories today as “disgusting” and “fake news”.
Andrew Bridgen had the Tory whip suspended, pending an investigation, after this tweet
The MP has now been suspended from the Commons and the Parliamentary Tory Party in the same week
He tweeted earlier this morning: “As one consultant cardiologist said to me this is the biggest crime against humanity since the holocaust.”
The NHS has dished out life-saving jabs to millions amid a record-breaking rollout throughout the pandemic.
Almost 15 million people have had an autumn booster campaign to keep themselves and their family protected.
Studies have shown the vaccine is both safe, effective, and scientists have found no serious side effects.
And they’ve all been trialled on tens of thousands of people before being rolled out.
Former Levelling up Secretary, Simon Clarke said of Mr Bridgen’s comments: “This is disgraceful.”
And Michael Fabricant added: “If this deters people from being vaccinated and causes deaths as a direct consequence, he’ll have blood on his hands. His tweets are wholly irresponsible.”
Tory Chief Whip Simon Hart said this morning the controversial MP, who has long peddled anti-Covid vaccine rhetoric, would face a party probe after spreading misinformation online.
He said: “Andrew Bridgen has crossed a line, causing great offence in the process.
“As a nation we should be very proud of what has been achieved through the vaccine programme. The vaccine is the best defence against Covid that we have.
“Misinformation about the vaccine causes harm and costs lives. I am therefore removing the Whip from Andrew Bridgen with immediate effect, pending a formal investigation.”
MPs welcomed his suspension from the party, after the announcement.
It came just a day after he was suspended from the House of Commons after breaking lobbying rules.
He was found to have broken the MPs code of conduct by a cross-party committee.
He tried to get the ruling overturned, but was unsuccessful.
His five day suspension was approved by Parliament on Monday, and will last for every day the Commons is sitting.
He was also scolded for a “completely unacceptable” attempt to influence Westminster sleaze-buster Kathryn Stone’s probe by claiming she would get a peerage from then PM Boris Johnson for throwing the book at him.
In a “significant litany of errors” he failed to raise his interest in emails and meetings with ministers and officials where he expressed concerns about Mere’s tax status.
