Chris Bryant, the Labour MP, slammed Dan Wootton – Executive Editor of The Sun – as a “nutcase”, labelling the rabble-rousing journalist “dangerous” for promoting the controversial Great Barrington Declaration.
In the must-see clip, Wootton – an ardent lockdown sceptic – is touting a letter, backed by some British academics, which urges the government to pursue herd immunity by shielding the elderly and letting younger people live their lives as usual.
But a recent investigation found that anyone could sign their name to the Great Barrington Declaration – leading to scores of fake signatories, like ‘I.P. Freely’ and ‘Dr Person Fakename’, joining scientists on the letter.
Professor Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the declaration reminded him of “the messaging used to undermine public health policies on harmful substances, such as tobacco”.
He added: “Leaving aside the powerful arguments against this declaration on grounds of science and feasibility, we have consistent evidence that a clear majority of the British public support necessary measures to reduce the spread of the virus or would go even further.
“Yet the campaign behind this declaration promotes a completely different picture.”
Bryant clearly agrees. “You’re a nutcase. You’re a complete and utter nutcase, and you’re dangerous as well,” he told Wootton, before hanging up on him during live on his talkRadio show.
Watch it here.
Related: Herd immunity letter called into question after scores of fake names found among the signatories