Former Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen seeks donations for legal fees to sue Matt Hancock
A former Leicestershire MP is seeking donations to help him pay legal fees. Andrew Bridgen is suing former health secretary Matt Hancock for libel over a post on X in 2023.
The post came after Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article "concerning data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines", stating: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust." Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video of him asking a question in the House of Commons, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society."
Mr Bridgen, who lost his North West Leicestershire seat at the 2024 election to Labour's Amanda Hack, has said he believes Mr Hancock's post was intended to "stop [him] asking questions about the safety and efficacy of Covid vaccines". Mr Bridgen has now set up a GoFundMe asking members of the public to help him cover the "increasing costs" of the suit which, he said, is "dragging out".
Former health secretary Mr Hancock has previously branded the case "absurd" and labelled Mr Bridgen's claims "ridiculous".
The long-running saga has seen an unsuccessful attempt by Mr Hancock last year to get the case thrown out, and this year he asked the high court to rule in his favour rather than proceed to a trial. However, a judge ruled there were "compelling reasons for further investigation at trial and a fully considered judgment thereafter".
Mr Hancock applied to the High Court to appeal that decision, but that was also rejected. Now, Mr Bridgen said, Mr Hancock had put in an application to the Court of Appeal.
The GoFundMe page reads: "This is dragging things out and increasing costs and so I'm asking for help to allow me to continue this fight. In case you don't know about the case already, I am suing Mr Hancock for defamation.
"In January 2023 the former Health Secretary described me in a tweet as a 'disgusting and dangerous' propagator of anti-Semitism. I believe this was to stop me asking questions about the safety and efficacy of Covid vaccines on behalf of my constituents and other members of the public who have suffered adverse reactions to the vaccines and from Covid policy in many other ways."
He added: "Support free speech and the right of MPs to give a voice to the unheard. If you can, please support my case against Mr Hancock."
Mr Bridgen said he would donate any damages won if he was successful in his case to "support the seriously vaccine injured and their ongoing fight for recognition and remedy." In five days, more than £16,000 has been raised through the page, with 562 donations at the time of writing.
He has also threatened legal action against former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who he has accused of taking part in an attempt to "harm" his reputation, "place him in danger" and "make it harder for him to earn a living" by acting with Mr Hancock to tell Parliament, and by extension the public, that Mr Bridgen "had done something anti-Semitic". Lawyers acting on behalf of Mr Sunak branded the accusations "entirely fanciful" and claimed the allegations were "built on unevidenced and baseless speculation". They added that it was "denied in the clearest terms that Mr Sunak has acted unlawfully towards" Mr Bridgen.
Mr Bridgen was suspended by the Conservatives after his post and expelled from the party in April 2023. He then sat as a Reclaim Party member and then independent MP until he was defeated at the last general election.
Share:
