Andrew Bridgen

Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen has had the whip removed after he posted a tweet that compared the Covid vaccine roll out to the Holocaust.

Misinformation about the vaccine causes harm and costs lives.” Hart said in a statement this morning: "Andrew Bridgen has crossed a line, causing great offence in the process. It has absolutely no place in our society." I am therefore removing the Whip from Andrew Bridgen with immediate effect, pending a formal investigation." In a series of tweets this morning, Bridgen said that the vaccines are "causing serious harms" and it is "the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust". He said that the previous few years had been "challenging" for the Jewish community and would "never want them to experience anything like that ever again".

The Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen has lost the party whip after comparing the use of Covid vaccines to the Holocaust, the latest in a series of recent ...

Bridgen was unsuccessful in an attempt to [overturn the recommendation in December](https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2022/december-2022/independent-expert-panel-dismisses-appeal-by-andrew-bridgen-mp/) and parliament approved a motion on Monday. “There is no possibility that Bridgen can be allowed to stand at the next election,” he said. [repeatedly broken the MPs’ code of conduct](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/nov/03/tory-mp-andrew-bridgen-faces-suspension-over-lobbying-breaches). Asked by Times Radio if Bridgen should be allowed to stand again, Percy said: “I don’t think anybody who believes this kind of crap should, but that’s a matter for the whips not for me.” If Bridgen does not regain the whip he would be very likely to lose his seat. “The vaccine is the best defence against Covid that we have.

A Tory MP has lost the whip for comparing the Covid vaccination rollout to the Holocaust on Wednesday.

“The vaccine is the best defence against Covid that we have. 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.” Misinformation about the vaccine causes harm and costs lives. “I’m determined that the scourge of antisemitism is eradicated. [Andrew Bridgen](/topic/andrew-bridgen) also appeared to falsely blame the increase in excess deaths the UK has seen on the jab. No wonder so many people are ill since vaccination.

Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen has been suspended from the Tory party after comparing the Covid-19 vaccine to the Holocaust.

‘As a nation, we should be very proud of what has been achieved through the vaccine programme. ‘Mr Bridgen has reflected on his conduct and, when pressed, told the Committee in oral evidence that he would act differently in a similar situation in the future.’ Bridgen is already serving a five-day suspension from the House of Commons for breaching lobbying rules. Health leaders, experts and government officials say the rise in deaths is down to an increase in flu cases and the knock-on effects of the pandemic. He said: ‘Fake news and scaremongering on vaccines is bad enough but to invoke the Holocaust during the month of Holocaust Memorial Day is despicable.’ Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen has been suspended from the Tory party after comparing the Covid-19 vaccine to the Holocaust.

There are now 15 independent MPs in Parliament, all of whom have been suspended from their former parties.

Labour suspended Christina Rees from the party in October 2022 following allegations of bullying. Labour suspended Conor McGinn in December 2022 pending an internal party investigation into a complaint against him. Long-serving Labour MP and former chief whip Nick Brown lost the whip in September 2022 pending the outcome of an internal investigation into a complaint against him. She remains under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. Tory chief whip Simon Hart said Mr Bridgen had “crossed a line, causing great offence in the process”. Seven of those MPs were formerly Labour members, while six used to be Conservatives.

There are now 15 independent MPs in Parliament, all of whom have been suspended from their former parties.

Labour suspended Christina Rees from the party in October 2022 following allegations of bullying. Labour suspended Conor McGinn in December 2022 pending an internal party investigation into a complaint against him. Long-serving Labour MP and former chief whip Nick Brown lost the whip in September 2022 pending the outcome of an internal investigation into a complaint against him. She remains under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. Tory chief whip Simon Hart said Mr Bridgen had “crossed a line, causing great offence in the process”. Seven of those MPs were formerly Labour members, while six used to be Conservatives.

Andrew Bridgen has crossed a line, causing great offence in the process," chief whip Simon Hart said.

“To invoke the Holocaust, as he did today, is utterly shameful, but it should never have reached this point.” And, of course, the ultimate decision will lie with parents.” He added: “I think that those who start talking against vaccines ought to learn their facts. And don’t say it.” And he added: “To invoke the Holocaust during the month of Holocaust memorial day is despicable.” “And secondly, anyone who brings the Holocaust in is actually trespassing on dangerous ground and on the hearts of lives and memories of many people who don’t have cousins because of the Holocaust, don’t have grandparents because of the Holocaust, and my advice to him is, consider what you’re saying.

He has also been suspended from Parliament for breaching lobbying rules.

It was backed up in the House of Commons on Tuesday unopposed, with Mr Bridgen unable to attend the hearing. He said: “The committee also, as is referred to in the motion, required the member to make an apology to the House. Sir Chris Bryant, Labour chairman of the Standards Committee, called on Mr Bridgen to make an apology in the chamber. The deputy speaker Nigel Evans said this was likely to happen upon Mr Bridgen’s return. The MP also failed to report in eight emails and five separate meetings with officials that he had a £12,000 contract to be an adviser with Mere Plantations too. The MP believed there was a “political motivation” behind the report, but an Independent Expert Panel dismissed this claim and his appeal on all grounds. The decision was made by fellow MPs and comes in the wake of a report which laid out his rule breaking. His Tweet has been widely condemned, including by the chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust who said it was "highly irresponsible". Fellow Tory MP Michael Fabricant, whose Lichfield constituency includes villages such as Barton under Needwood and Alrewas, said Mr Bridgen would have "blood on his hands" if he discouraged the public from getting the jab. As a nation we should be very proud of what has been achieved through the vaccine programme." Mr Fabricant said: "If this deters people from being vaccinated and causes deaths as a direct consequence, he’ll have blood on his hands. Misinformation about the vaccine causes harm and costs lives.

MP Andrew Bridgen has had the Conservative Party whip removed after having “crossed a line” in his criticism of the Covid-19 vaccine. | ITV News Central.

With fresh revelations from our Number 10 sources, in their own words, listen to the inside story... It was one of the biggest news stories of our time - and it's still not over. “People in authority have a duty to use language responsible; Mr Bridgen has failed that test, and I welcome the removal of the Conservative whip from him.”

Backbencher has become prominent anti-vaxxer in recent months, with messages on Twitter claiming the vaccine was harmful.

The other three were advised in response to what the committee said was a “completely unacceptable” attempt by Mr Bridgen to put pressure on Ms Stone. The Board of Deputies of British Jews tweeted: “For an MP to suggest that Covid vaccines are the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust is unconscionable. The suspension started on Tuesday and will run for five sitting days. People will continue to be maimed and die until the mRNA shots are stopped.” Matt Hancock, a former health secretary, hit out at the “disgusting, anti-Semitic, anti-vax conspiracy theories” at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday. “As a nation we should be very proud of what has been achieved through the vaccine programme.

Exclusive: Mr Bridgen said he had been messaging government ministers following his Covid tweet.

Asked if he had been messaging government ministers, Mr Bridgen added: “Of course I have been trying to get the science, the facts and the data in front of ministers. [Conservative Party](/topic/conservative-party)’s chief whip [Simon Hart](file://eil-usr-f01p-p/topic/simon-hart) also said Mr Bridgen had “crossed a line” and had “caused great offence in the process”. [Andrew Bridgen](/topic/andrew-bridgen) “bombarded” cabinet ministers with [Covid](/topic/covid) claims before he lost the Conservative whip for linking the [vaccine](/topic/vaccine) to the Holocaust.

He tweeted an article on vaccines, saying: “As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust.” Chief ...

“As a nation, we should be very proud of what has been achieved through the vaccine programme. Money from shares contributes directly to keep our paper thriving. “He cannot claim that he didn’t realise the level of offence that his remarks cause.” 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. “There is no possibility that Bridgen can be allowed to stand at the next election,” he said. This is the last article you can read this month

The Conservative MP has been suspended after a tweet comparing Covid vaccine side effects to the Holocaust.

Since then, Mr Bridgen has also referred to Covid vaccines as "experimental gene therapy" - a term used by those who spread anti-vaccine conspiracies online. We can categorically say that nobody within this leadership team has acted in the way claimed by Mr Bridgen." These have helped us learn about genuine but rare side effects like blood clots and myocarditis. But that data can't be used to back up his claim. The MHRA said the fact that more people were reporting to the scheme was expected,"given the scale of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, and publicity in the context of the pandemic," rather than indicating a real rise in side effects. The Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen has been suspended by his party after comparing the side effects of Covid vaccines to the Holocaust.

Andrew Bridgen has been suspended as a Conservative MP for spreading misinformation about Covid vaccination. It comes after the North West Leicestershire MP ...

Misinformation about the vaccine causes harm and costs lives." He said it was "regrettable" that the prime minister had not acted sooner to "slap down what he has been saying". Conservative chairman Nadhim Zahawi, a former vaccines minister, said he was "proud" of the UK's response to the pandemic, and he was "appalled" by Mr Bridgen's remarks. A spokesman for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that suspending the whip had been "the right thing to do" and accused Mr Bridgen of "whipping up anti-vax conspiracy theories". "He cannot claim that he didn't realise the level of offence that his remarks cause," he added. "As a nation we should be very proud of what has been achieved through the vaccine programme," the chief whip added.

Mr Bridgen has long been critical of Covid policies such as lockdown, but previously supported vaccinations and said he had received the jab himself.

In a statement, Rees said at the time: “There has been a complaint made against me to the Labour Party, which is under investigation and I am therefore under an administrative suspension until the process is concluded. Long-serving Labour MP and former chief whip Nick Brown lost the whip in September 2022 pending the outcome of an internal investigation into a complaint against him. Labour suspended Christina Rees from the party in October 2022 following allegations of bullying. Tory chief whip Simon Hart said Mr Bridgen had “crossed a line, causing great offence in the process”. Labour suspended Conor McGinn in December 2022 pending an internal party investigation into a complaint against him. It can result in the having the whip withdrawn. She remains under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. “As a nation, we should be very proud of what has been achieved through the vaccine programme. Losing the whip, or having it withdrawn, is very serious business. Seven of those MPs were formerly Labour members, while six used to be Conservatives. This is known as a “free vote”. “It was distasteful then and remains so,” he said.

Andrew Bridgen has issued his first statement since losing the Conservative whip for comparing the COVID vaccine roll-out to the Holocaust.

Mr Bridgen later deleted the tweet, but in his statement on Thursday vowed to "continue to ask" questions about the safety of the vaccines. "Andrew Bridgen has not done that, so he has failed in his duty to his constituents and to the British public." Andrew Bridgen has insisted his comments comparing the COVID vaccine rollout to the Holocaust were in "no way antisemitic" in his first statement since losing the Conservative whip. [accused the prominent backbencher of "mind-boggling ignorance"](https://news.sky.com/story/mind-boggling-ignorance-holocaust-survivor-criticises-andrew-bridgens-vaccine-remarks-12784652) and said he had failed the British public. In a video statement on his YouTube channel, the North West Leicestershire MP criticised the government for "actively look(ing) to remove MPs" who question the safety of coronavirus vaccines and said he had received "huge support" for his claims. Andrew Bridgen has issued his first statement since losing the Conservative whip for comparing the COVID vaccine rollout to the Holocaust.