UK politician suspended for comparing COVID-19 shots to Holocaust

Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen mentioned the rollout of the vaccines was the ‘largest crime in opposition to humanity’ since WWII-era genocide.

British MP Andrew Bridgen has turn into more and more vocal in his criticism of COVID-19 vaccines in current weeks [File: Niklas Halle'n/AFP]

A British politician from the ruling Conservative Celebration has been suspended for evaluating COVID-19 vaccines to the Holocaust.

Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, mentioned the vaccine rollout marked “the most important crime in opposition to humanity” since hundreds of thousands of Jews have been killed by Nazi Germany throughout World Struggle II.

Confirming Bridgen’s suspension on Wednesday, Conservative chief whip Simon Hart mentioned the 58-year-old had “crossed a line” and brought on “nice offence”.

“As a nation, we must be very pleased with what has been achieved by way of the vaccine programme,” Hart mentioned. “The vaccine is the perfect defence in opposition to COVID that we've.”

“Misinformation concerning the vaccine causes hurt and prices lives. I'm, due to this fact, eradicating the whip from Andrew Bridgen with quick impact, pending a proper investigation,” Hart mentioned.

 

Bridgen, a longstanding critic of COVID-19 vaccines, had tweeted a hyperlink to an article concerning the vaccines on an internet site that has printed conspiracy theories and commented: “As one advisor heart specialist mentioned to me that is the most important crime in opposition to humanity because the Holocaust.”

His suspension means he'll sit within the Home of Commons as an unbiased member of Parliament whereas a proper investigation takes place.

PM Sunak slams ‘unacceptable’ remarks

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mentioned Bridgen’s remark was “completely unacceptable”.

“I’m decided that the scourge of anti-Semitism is eradicated,” he mentioned in Parliament. “It has completely no place in our society.”

Karen Pollock, head of the Holocaust Instructional Belief, mentioned the comparability between the vaccines and Holocaust was “extremely irresponsible and wholly inappropriate”.

Bridgen later apologised however argued his primary level was legitimate.

“Using the Holocaust as a reference was insensitive, for which I apologise,” he mentioned. “I've deleted the offending tweet.”

“Nonetheless, this should not be used to distract from legitimate issues associated to the vaccine,” he argued. “The article I tweeted presents the work of a Jewish Israeli researcher.”

Earlier than his suspension, Bridgen was already below scrutiny for breaching parliamentary guidelines on paid lobbying and declaring monetary pursuits.

He had been suspended from the Home of Commons for 5 days for the breaches.