The Reclaim Party, led by actor Laurence Fox, has welcomed its first member of parliament: Andrew Bridgen, who represents North West Leicestershire. Bridgen joined Reclaim on Wednesday after the Conservative Party expelled him for his controversial views on Covid vaccines.
Bridgen’s Reasons for Leaving the Tories
Bridgen has been a harsh critic of the government’s pandemic response, especially its vaccination programme. He has questioned the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, and has posted conspiracy theories online.
He faced suspension by the Conservative Party in January, after he tweeted that Covid vaccines were “the biggest crime against humanity since the holocaust.” He quoted a consultant cardiologist who allegedly said this to him.
RELATED:- Who is Jacqueline Bridgen? Meet Andrew Bridgen’s Ex-wife
He later removed the tweet and said he was sorry, but he did not change his mind about vaccines. He also said he had filed a defamation lawsuit against Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, who had called him an “antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theorist” over the vaccine.
Bridgen said he felt like a captive while obeying the Tory whip, and that he had regained his freedom by joining Reclaim. He also said he expected other MPs to follow his example and join the new party.
What is Reclaim?
Reclaim is a party that Laurence Fox launched in October 2020, with the goal of “reclaiming” British values and culture from “woke” ideology. The party says it supports free speech, democracy, and common sense.
Fox, who is famous for his role in the TV show Lewis, has been a controversial figure for his outspoken opinions on topics such as Black Lives Matter, lockdowns, and cancel culture. He has also joined forces with activists who oppose Covid vaccines and low-traffic zones.
Fox praised Bridgen as Reclaim’s first MP, and said he was honoured to have him on board. He said Bridgen was a “man of principle” who had “stood up for what he believes in”.
The Consequences of Bridgen’s Switch
Bridgen’s switch is a setback for the Conservative Party, which has already faced opposition from some of its backbenchers over its Covid policies. Bridgen has been in parliament since 2010, and secured his seat with a majority of more than 20,000 votes in 2019.
However, Bridgen has rejected calls for a by-election, saying he anticipated a general election within 12 months and did not want to make his constituents vote twice in a year.
His choice has been criticised by Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians, who have said he was out of touch with his voters and spreading false information. They have also asked him to resign and trigger a by-election, saying he should test his extreme views with the voters.
Bridgen has also faced backlash from anti-racism campaigners, who have said he was promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitism with his comments. The charity Hope Not Hate said: “These words are full of conspiracy, feeding ideas of shadowy elites controlling politics from behind the scenes.”
Source: Facty News
