10 May 2023 , 10:58
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Expelled Tory Andrew Bridgen has refused to trigger a by-election after defecting to Laurence Fox's Reclaim Party.
Mr Bridgen confirmed he had jumped ship to become the right-wing party's first MP, after the Tories kicked him out for saying the Covid vaccine was the "biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust".
He crossed the floor in Parliament to sit on the opposition benches - much to the displeasure of the Lib Dems and Green MP Caroline Lucas who moved to sit farther away.
Critics said his "misinformation" has no place in the Commons and demanded he submit to a by-election in his North West Leicestershire seat.
But the hypocritical MP is running scared of being ousted by voters - after demanding a by-election in 2019 when Tory MP Anna Soubry defected.
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Asked if he'd call a by-election, Mr Bridgen told a Westminster press conference: "I think we're going to have a general election very soon. We have to have one within 12 months, but I think it will be sooner than that.
"I don't think this Government can carry on too much longer."
Andrew Bridgen announced he was joining the Reclaim Party at a press conference in Westminster (PA)He added: "I wouldn't want to put my constituents through the rigours of having two elections in less than 12 months. They don't tend to like it very much."
Reclaim, set up by Mr Fox, a former actor turned 'anti-woke' crusader, is planning to target "problematic" Tory and Labour MPs at the next election.
Mr Fox said: "We're not looking to stand in 650 seats. We're looking to find problematic Tories particularly, or Labour and stand there, stand on our principles where wokery is taken off terribly and cancel culture exists."
He didn't rule out forming pacts with other fringe parties like Reform - born out of Nigel Farage's Brexit Party.
"We are friends and we support anybody who is challenging this two cheeks of the same arse Parliament where both parties agree on everything and the people don't agree at all."
Mr Bridgen, who bizarrely quoted US President John F Kennedy in his speech, said he had been a "prisoner" under the Tories and vowed to continue his anti-vaxx crusade in Parliament.
But critics challenged him to call a by-election and let voters decide.
Amanda Hack, a Leicestershire councillor and Labour's candidate in North West Leicestershire, said: "If he wants to try his luck as Britain's first-ever Reclaim MP that's fine, but the choice should not be down to him.
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Laurence Fox, leader of the Reclaim Party (PA)"That choice should lie with the voters of North West Leicestershire. He should resign immediately and put his extreme views to the test at a by-election."
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said: “Andrew Bridgen and his misinformation have absolutely no place in the House of Commons and now his defection to a failed fringe political party cements it.
"If Bridgen wants to sit as an MP for this party he should do the right thing - resign and call a by-election."
Georgie Laming, Director of Campaigns at HOPE not hate, said: "The Reclaim Party, founded by Lawrence Fox, stokes culture wars and spreads dangerous conspiracy theories.
"With Andrew Bridgen joining Reclaim Party, they now have the ability to use Parliament as a platform for their hate-fuelled and conspiracy-driven politics.
"Bridgen was kicked out of the Conservative Party for comparing COVID vaccines to the Holocaust. Being welcomed by Reclaim is completely unsurprising."
Mr Bridgen also confirmed he had begun legal action against former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who accused him of anti-Semitism over his vaccine remarks.
A spokesperson for Matt Hancock said: "Matt will defend this absurd action, which is a pathetic publicity stunt.
"The claim has no credible basis and when Matt wins the case, he will also seek to recover all costs.
"Vaccines save lives, and Matt will always defend science and progress against unfounded conspiracy theories that put peoples’ health at risk."