Andrew Bridgen MP has apologised for any offence caused after he appeared to compare Covid vaccines with the Holocaust – but vowed to “continue to ask” questions about the safety of the jabs.
The North West Leicestershire MP was suspended by the Conservatives on Wednesday and faced criticism from Rishi Sunak who called his comments as “completely unacceptable”.
In a video statement posted on YouTube on Thursday, the North West Leicestershire MP said that he was not antisemitic or racist as he defended his language about the safety of coronavirus vaccines.
On Wednesday, Mr Bridgen tweeted an article questioning their safety, adding: “As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust.”
His tweet was criticised campaigners and MPs from all sides of the Commons, and Tory chief whip Simon Hart withdrew the Tory whip.
Mr Bridgen, in his first comments since the suspension, said: “I’m disappointed that the chief whip, Simon Hart, with the support of the prime minister, has chosen to suspend me as a member of the Conservative parliamentary party.”
He added: “My tweet of the 11th of January was in no way antisemitic. Indeed, it alluded to the Holocaust being the most heinous crime against humanity in living memory.”
Apologising, he said: “Of course, if anyone is genuinely offended by my use of such imagery, then I apologise for any offence caused. I wholeheartedly refute any suggestions that I am racist and currently I’m speaking to a legal team who will commence action against those who have led the call suggesting that I am.”
The suspended MP also told viewers that he would “continue to ask” questions about the vaccine, complaining about “the current state of our democracy, the right to free speech”
He claimed: “As I’ve consistently maintained, there are very reasonable questions to be asked about the safety and effectiveness of the experimental mRNA vaccines and the risks and benefits of these treatments.”
“There are reasonable questions to ask of a government that is considering extending the use of these experimental vaccines to children as young as six months of age,” Mr Bridgen argued.
“There are reasonable questions about the side effects of mRNA vaccines,” he said, before claiming that “the current risk of harm to most of the population, and especially young people, from Covid-19 is miniscule”.
Mr Bridgen “bombarded” ministers with claims about Covid vaccines before he lost the Conservative whip, The Independent reported. One cabinet minister said that he had been “on the receiving end myself” of the PM’s claims about the vaccine.
At PMQs on Wednesday, the former health secretary Matt Hancock highlighted the “disgusting, antisemitic, anti-vax conspiracy theories”.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped develop the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, and Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, both denounced his claims.
“Ideological beliefs in favour or against vaccination are not science and have no role to play in making the best policy,” said Sir Andrew.
Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, called Mr Bridgen’s comments “highly irresponsible and wholly inappropriate”.
