‘Mind-boggling ignorance’: Holocaust survivor criticises Andrew Bridgen’s vaccine remarks
A Holocaust survivor has condemned a Tory MP’s “mind-boggling ignorance” after he compared the mass genocide of Jewish people during World War II to the COVID vaccine rollout.
Earlier today, Andrew Bridgen tweeted an article questioning the safety of the jabs, adding: “As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust.”
The prominent backbencher has now had the whip removed, meaning he is no longer a Conservative MP but will sit as an independent.
Martin Stern, a Holocaust survivor and retired immunologist, added his voice to the criticism of the remarks, which have been condemned by politicians, scientists and charities.
“People in a position of public responsibility like Andrew Bridgen owe us, the public, a debt of due diligence,” he told Sky News.
“Before they open their mouths about an issue like this, they should inform themselves, they should get expert advice.
“Andrew Bridgen has not done that, so he has failed in his duty to his constituents and to the British public.”
Andrew Bridgen MP has had the whip removed
Mr Stern, 85, was born in Holland and survived Nazi concentration camps at both Westerbork and Theresienstadt when he was a child.
After the war he moved to England to live with family and trained as a doctor.
The retired immunologist said: “I spend my life these days working with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the Holocaust Education Trust, the National Holocaust Centre and the Anne Frank Trust educating people about the Holocaust, but even among adults there is a mind-boggling degree of ignorance.
“Andrew Bridgen’s response reflects that. He wouldn’t be saying that if he had even a reasonable idea of what the Holocaust was about.”
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.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the comments made by Mr Bridgen were “utterly unacceptable” and chief whip Simon Hart took action because the remarks “crossed a line”.
Lord Mann, the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, said Mr Bridgen should be barred from standing for the Tories at the next election.
“There is no possibility that Bridgen can be allowed to stand at the next election,” he said.
“He cannot claim that he didn’t realise the level of offence that his remarks cause.”
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Mr Bridgen is already serving a five-day suspension from the Commons for breaching lobbying rules and suggesting the woman investigating him could be swayed with a peerage.
His comment comes about a fortnight before Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January.
The MP for North West Leicestershire has continually shared anti-vaccine messaging and Labour branded Mr Sunak “weak” for not disciplining him “weeks ago”.
“To invoke the Holocaust, as he did today, is utterly shameful, but it should never have reached this point,” said party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds.
About 20 million lives were saved by the COVID vaccine in its first year, Imperial College London research published in June last year found.
Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said the safety and efficacy of vaccines are “tested rigorously in clinical trials” while the data is subjected to challenges by independent experts, “and undergoes painstakingly detailed regulatory review”.
“Ideological beliefs in favour or against vaccination are not science and have no role to play in making the best policy,” he added.
Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
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Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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