The BBC’s Parliament channel displayed messages defending the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in the UK during MP Andrew Bridgen’s speech on excess deaths. Bridgen made claims in the House of Commons linking a rise in excess deaths to Covid vaccinations. The BBC ran slogans onscreen during his speech, stating that the NHS confirms the safety of the vaccines and their effectiveness in preventing serious illness. They also mentioned a rise in measles and mumps due to a drop in MMR vaccinations for children. The BBC did not respond to comments when asked by The Epoch Times.
In response to the live-streamed speech, Bridgen criticized the BBC for its partisan commentary, calling it “appalling” from a supposedly neutral broadcaster. Bridgen has previously faced controversy for his remarks and was ousted after comparing the COVID-19 response to the Holocaust.
During his speech, Bridgen questioned the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and criticized their failure to collect and publish data on deaths referred to the coroner. He claimed that there are substantially more excess deaths, especially among younger people, and expressed concern over the lack of information. He also mentioned trial data showing serious adverse events in a small proportion of vaccinated individuals, but this claim has not been independently verified.
A spokeswoman for the ONS stated that deaths referred to a coroner are indeed included in their mortality statistics, contradicting Bridgen’s claim. Junior Health Minister Maria Caulfield agreed that there has been an increase in excess deaths but disagreed with Bridgen’s analysis, stating that it does not align with available statistics. Laurence Fox emphasized the importance of critically examining public health strategies to prevent similar failures in the future.