UK Conservatives suspend lawmaker for vaccine misinformation

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s governing Conservative Party has suspended a lawmaker who spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. The party suspended Andrew Bridgen from the Conservative group in the House of Commons on Wednesday after he tweeted an article questioning the safety of vaccines and said a cardiologist had told him “this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust.” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Bridgen’s comments were “utterly unacceptable.” The chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust called the comments “highly irresponsible and wholly inappropriate.” Bridgen is currently suspended from entering Parliament for five days for breaching lobbying rules. When he returns, he will sit as an independent lawmaker.