Andrew Bridgen: Tory MP has whip suspended over covid misinformation

The North West Leicestershire MP has been increasingly vocal in remarks questioning the coronavirus vaccine and on Wednesday tweeted an article on vaccines, adding: “As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust.”

Chief Whip Simon Hart 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.”

Conservative MP Michael Fabricant backed the decision to remove the whip from Mr Bridgen over his comments, saying he would have “blood on his hands” if his views had deterred people from getting a vaccine.

“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.”

Holocaust Education Trust chief executive Karen Pollock said Mr Bridgen’s comment was “highly irresponsible and wholly inappropriate”.

Mr Bridgen is currently suspended from the Commons after he was found to have displayed a “very cavalier” attitude to the rules in a series of lobbying breaches.