A Tory MP has lost the whip for comparing the Covid vaccination rollout to the Holocaust on Wednesday.
Andrew Bridgen also appeared to falsely blame the increase in excess deaths the UK has seen on the jab.
The MP for North West Leicestershire, who is currently suspended from the Commons, tweeted: “We know the ‘vaccines’ are causing serious harms and now it’s becoming increasingly clear how they are doing it. No wonder so many people are ill since vaccination.
“As one consultant cardiologist said to me this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Sharing a news article about the rise in excess deaths Britain is seeing as the NHS battles staffing shortages and strikes, he wrote: "Is the failure of the NHS also responsible for the current excess deaths in all other countries that administered the gene therapy mRNA ‘vaccines’?"
More than 650,000 deaths were registered in the UK last year- 9 per cent more than 2019.
NHS delays, an increase in flu cases and the after-effects of Covid infections have been blamed for the rise.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appeared to condemn Mr Bridgen‘s comments saying “it is utterly unacceptable to make linkages and use language like that”.
Former Tory cabinet minister Matt Hancock asked at Prime Minister’s Questions: “Does the Prime Minister agree with me that the disgusting, antisemitic, anti-vax conspiracy theories that have been promulgated online this morning are not only deeply offensive but anti-scientific, and have no place in this House or in our wider society?”
Mr Sunak replied: “Can I join with my right honourable friend in completely condemning those types of comments that we saw this morning in the strongest possible terms.
“I’m determined that the scourge of antisemitism is eradicated. It has absolutely no place in our society. 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.”
Lib Dem MP and Health spokesman Daisy Cooper said Mr Bridgen’s comments were "truly revolting".
A Labour spokesman said it was “right ” for the whip to be suspended, adding that Mr Bridgen has been “whipping up anti vaccine conspiracy theories for some time now”.
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.”
Fake news and scaremongering on vaccines is bad enough but to invoke the Holocaust during the month of Holocaust Memorial Day is despicable. When is it enough for the Tories to withdraw the whip? https://t.co/tZb1RHdabd
— Christian Wakeford MP (@Christian4BuryS) January 11, 2023
He made multiple approaches to ministers and public officials on behalf of Mere Plantations, a UK-based reforestation company with forests in Ghana, for which he was initially paid £12,000 a year as an adviser, a report by the Standards Committee found.
Mr Bridgen also attempted to influence Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone during her investigation by claiming he heard a “rumour” she would only receive a peerage if she ruled against him because he was an outspoken critic of then Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Last month the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) dismissed Mr Bridgen’s appeal against his proposed suspension and told the backbencher that he could reasonably have been handed a “more severe” punishment for the breaches.
The MP was suspended for five days from Tuesday
