Andrew Bridgen: MP kicked out of Tory party after comparing COVID vaccines to Holocaust | Politics News
Andrew Bridgen has been kicked out of the Conservative Party after comparing COVID vaccines to the Holocaust.
The outspoken MP will retain his seat as an MP in the House of Commons.
Mr Bridgen made the comments earlier this year, claiming a “consultant cardiologist” told him COVID jabs were “causing serious harms”, adding that the vaccine programme was “the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust”.
He was suspended from the parliamentary party in January, and ejected from the Conservatives earlier this month.
A party spokesman said: “Mr Bridgen was expelled from the Conservative Party on 12 April following the recommendation of a disciplinary panel. He has 28 days from this date to appeal.”
Mr Bridgen says he plans to stand again as an MP.
He said: “My expulsion from the Conservative Party under false pretences only confirms the culture of corruption, collusion and cover-ups which plagues our political system.
“I have been a vocal critic of the vaccine rollout and the party have been sure to make an example of me.
“I am grateful for my newfound freedom and will continue to fight for justice for all those harmed, injured and bereaved due to governmental incompetence.
“I will continue to serve my constituents as I was elected to do and intend to stand again at the next election.”
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January: Andrew Bridgen ‘failed in his duty’
Mr Bridgen represents the North West Leicestershire constituency, where he had a 20,400 majority over second-place Labour in 2019.
But his place outside the Conservative Party makes it unlikely he will get anywhere near the same support as before.
Speaking just after Mr Bridgen’s tweet, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he “completely condemns those types of comments in the strongest possible terms”.
“Obviously, it is utterly unacceptable to make linkages and use language like that, and I’m determined that the scourge of antisemitism is eradicated.
“It has absolutely no place in our society. And I know that the previous few years have been challenging for the Jewish community, and I never want them to experience anything like that ever again.”
Numerous scientists and medical professionals condemned Mr Bridgen’s remarks.
Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said the safety and efficacy of vaccines are “tested rigorously in clinical trials” while the data is subjected to challenges by independent experts, “and undergoes painstakingly detailed regulatory review”.
About 20 million lives were saved by the COVID vaccine in its first year, Imperial College London research published in June last year found.
