• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Swayne may still face party action after refusing to apologise for Covid remarks

The Tory MP told vaccine sceptics to ‘persist’ with their campaign.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2021-01-31 08:12
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne may still face action after refusing to apologise for telling vaccine sceptics to “persist” with their campaign against coronavirus lockdown restrictions, Michael Gove has hinted.

The Cabinet member said to “watch this space” on Saturday when asked if the former minister was being let off without disciplinary action by the Conservative party.

Sir Desmond has so far declined to retract his remarks despite Mr Gove branding him “completely out of order”, and Home Secretary Priti Patel saying he was “thoroughly wrong”.

Sky is wrong. Aside from my question to the PM this afternoon, an examination of my blogs will reveal that I am a most enthusiastic vaccinator

— Desmond Swayne (@DesmondSwayne) January 27, 2021

“Police state”

The Conservative Party has so far declined to suspend the lockdown-sceptic MP but has asked him to attend meetings with scientific advisers.

Sir Desmond told the Save Our Rights UK group, which argues wrongly that vaccines are “being rushed through safety testing” and has posted discussions online with conspiracy theorist David Icke, that some Covid-19 figures have been “manipulated” and called on campaigners to “persist” in their campaign.

The New Forest West MP also gave an interview to anti-vaxxer Del Bigtree, in which he claimed the UK had become a “police state”.

But Sir Desmond describes himself as “evangelical” in his support for the vaccine programmes and says he was unaware of any of their “baggage” on vaccines.

RelatedPosts

PMQs 18th May – Bird crap on the PM as rest of us are left in the sh*t

Watch: First pictures and video of Kenneth Brannagh’s portrayal of Boris Johnson

Michael Fabricant calls on fellow Tory MPs to turn up to PMQs- to prove they’re not the alleged rapist

Crowdfunder started to buy the World’s biggest egg for Grantham

Mr Gove, asked why the former minister was let off without disciplinary action, told reporters: “Watch this space.

“I can’t pre-empt any decision-making but I think it’s important that the processes that the Conservative Party has are in place in order to make sure, as I’m sure he will, that Sir Desmond apologises and recognises he made a mistake.”

“I’m sure that he will be very clear that it was a serious mistake and an apology will be forthcoming," says Michael Gove – when asked if Sir Desmond Swayne should have the whip withdrawn for claiming NHS stats were manipulated.

Follow live: https://t.co/d7xTdCvFE3 pic.twitter.com/EIpvRYSH6n

— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 28, 2021

Apology

But Sir Desmond remained defiant on Saturday.

He told the PA news agency: “When I’ve got a specific request to apologise for something then I can consider it, but for the moment my understanding is the accusation is that I gave comfort and encouraged anti-vaxxers, my answer to that is that I did not.”

Sir Desmond did, however, say he was “more than happy to, in fact I’m keen to” speak to the scientific advisers.

Dozens of arrests have taken place during marches against lockdown restrictions organised by Save Our Rights UK.

The group also holds controversial views on vaccines, falsely claiming they are “being rushed through safety testing” despite rigorous trials, and pushing doubts about the jabs.

I have written to @Conservatives Party Chair @amandamilling regarding a Conservative MP telling anti-vaccination campaigners to "persist" with their campaign against COVID restrictions and suggesting that NHS data is being "manipulated".

Urgent action must be taken. pic.twitter.com/qH1Uye5m8d

— Angela Rayner ? (@AngelaRayner) January 27, 2021

Manipulated figures

In November, Sir Desmond reportedly told the group the figures were “bouncing round at the typical level of deaths for the time of year”.

“It seems to be a manageable risk, particularly as figures have been manipulated… We’re told there is a deathly, deadly pandemic proceeding at the moment,” he said.

“That is difficult to reconcile with ICUs (intensive care units) actually operating at typical occupation levels for the time of year and us bouncing round at the typical level of deaths for the time of year.”

Related: Explained: The EU’s vaccine dispute and Article 16 U-turn

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Injuries in triple shooting near London tube station

The Myth of American Democracy

Huge Bull Elephant Plays Hide and Seek with Photographer

London SMEs to Eclipse Rest of Country in Next 10 Years

LONDON FILM FESTIVAL: ROCKS

Prepare for a homophobic firestorm if Democrats choose Pete Buttigieg

TLE Insight: Europa Park, Germany

Mineworkers’ pension: Scheme paid ‘vast sums’ to Government leaving some on £10 a week

Weather forecast, alerts and UVB index for London, Monday 18 January 2021

A mum sets up female-only taxi company in a bid to make women feel safer

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.