A former Tory MP who compared the COVID vaccine rollout to the Holocaust has threatened to sue Matt Hancock for saying his comments were “antisemitic”.
Andrew Bridgen was suspended from the Conservative Party earlier this month after tweeting: “As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust.”
Mr Hancock, the former health secretary, said in the House of Commons that the statement was a “disgusting. antisemitic, anti-vax conspiracy”.
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He later echoed the statement on Twitter, which is not covered by parliamentary privilege.
Mr Bridgen warned Mr Hancock to delete the tweet, posting on 13 January: “He has still not removed his defamatory tweet falsely alleging that I am antisemitic. I will allow Matt three days to apologise publicly for calling me an antisemite and racist or he will be contacted by my legal team.”
The MP for North West Leicestershire confirmed on Thursday that he has now sent Mr Hancock a legal letter before action “regarding defamation”, with the Telegraph reporting Mr Bridgen is seeking £100,000 from Mr Hancock.
A spokesman for Mr Hancock said: “What Matt said was obviously not libellous and he stands by his comments.
“Rather than wasting his time and money on an absurd libel case he will undoubtedly lose, let’s hope Bridgen does the right thing and apologises for the hurt he’s caused and keeps his offensive view to himself in future.”
The Holocaust is the name given to the systematic murder of six million Jewish people by the Nazi Germany regime and their allies during the Second World War.
Martin Stern, who survived the concentration camps, accused Mr Bridgen of “mind-boggling ignorance” while several MPs and charities also condemned the remarks.
Mr Bridgen defended his comments, insisting they were in “no way antisemitic” and actually “alluded to the Holocaust being the most heinous crime against humanity in living memory”.
“Of course, if anyone is genuinely offended by my use of such imagery, then I apologise for any offence caused,” he added.
“I wholeheartedly refute any suggestion that I am racist and currently I am speaking to a legal team who will commence action against those who have led the call suggesting that I am.”
Mr Bridgen deleted the tweet following the backlash, but in his statement vowed to “continue to ask” questions about the safety of the vaccines.
