Labour has called on the Prime Minister to take urgent action
against senior Conservative Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne
after he defended his previous endorsement of dangerous
anti-vaccination campaigners and his comments spreading
disinformation and promoting conspiracy theories as his “duty” as
a Member of Parliament.
Speaking on TalkRadio this morning after his comments emerged
last night, Desmond Swayne doubled down and said that they were
“an important part” of his job as a politician and it was his
“duty” to make them. The Conservative MP for New Forest West has
refused to apologise.
Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has called on the Prime
Minister to intervene, warning that the actions of this senior
Conservative MP are undermining the national effort to defeat
coronavirus and putting lives at risk. Labour demanded last night
that the Chair of the Conservative Party take action following
the emergence of Desmond Swayne’s comments, however the
Conservative Party has failed to do so.
, Labour’s Deputy Leader and Party Chair demanding
that the Prime Minister take action, said:
“The British people have made huge sacrifices to save lives and
defeat this terrible virus, and tragically over 100,000 people
have already lost their lives.
“A Conservative Member of Parliament endorsing dangerous
anti-vaccination campaigners, spreading disinformation and
promoting conspiracy theories undermines the national effort to
defeat this virus, puts lives at risk and is an insult to the
families and loved ones of everyone who has tragically lost their
lives to this terrible virus and our NHS staff who are working
round the clock to save lives.
“It is clear that Desmond Swayne has no intention of apologising
or withdrawing his dangerous remarks. After the Conservatives
have refused to act, the Prime Minister must intervene urgently,
condemn these comments and take action. A failure to do so risks
undermining our national effort to defeat this virus, combat
dangerous anti-vaccine disinformation and vaccinate Britain”.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
- Asked on Talk Radio this morning if an MP should be taking
part in interviews with anti-vaxxers, Desmond Swayne said:
"Yes I think it’s an important part of a politician's job. I
mean I'm an elected politician. It’s not only my right to voice
my opinions but I'd suggest that it's also my duty to do so. We
are getting very close to thought crime here aren't we? That the
deputy leader of the Labour Party is complaining about what
another Member of Parliament says and thinks as if this was some
sort of criminal activity. And I think that’s to be deprecated. I
believe in freedom of speech and freedom of expression, as the
Labour Party doesn’t."
https://twitter.com/talkradio/status/1354692803872366592?s=21
