Tory MP stripped of party after linking Covid vaccine to Holocaust

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Tory MP Andrew Bridgen has been removed as party whip after appearing to link the rollout of Covid vaccinations to the Holocaust.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak denounced the comments as "completely unacceptable".

The party's chief whip, Simon Hart, said Mr Bridgen had 'crossed a line' and had 'caused great offense in the process'.

Mr. Bridgen claimed the Covid vaccines were "causing serious harm" and said he had been told the program was "the greatest crime against humanity since the Holocaust".

Mr. Hart said: "The vaccine is the best defense we have against Covid. Vaccine misinformation is causing harm and costing lives. I am therefore withdrawing Andrew Bridgen's Whip effective immediately, pending further an official investigation."

On Wednesday, Mr. Bridgen tweeted an article about vaccines, adding: "As a consultant cardiologist told me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the 'Holocaust.'

Earlier this week, the MP for North West Leicestershire was suspended from the Commons for five days. MPs backed the measure after it was discovered he had shown a 'very cavalier' attitude to the rules in a series of lobbying breaches.

Will Moy, director general of anti-disinformation site Full Fact, said "Andrew Bridgen put lives at risk for months by being allowed to peddle health misinformation in Parliament.

"It is right that the Conservative Party acted after Andrew Bridgen's shameful comments online earlier today. But it is unacceptable that an MP has been allowed to repeatedly make dangerous misrepresentations about vaccines for months without consequence.

“Globally, we have seen what happens when we empower conspiracy theorists to spread dangerous health misinformation that costs lives.

"Will the Conservative Party seriously consider supporting an MP who behaves like this in the next election?"