Thangam Debbonaire
MP for Bristol West
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Many people were appalled on Thursday 5 September to hear Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg compare consultant Dr David Nicholl, who helped draw up no-deal medical plans ahead of a possible no-deal Brexit, to the disgraced anti-vaxxer Andrew Wakefield.
Wakefield was struck off the medical register in 2010 after suggesting a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Because of his actions, our country this year lost its immunity to measles and hundreds of lives have been put at risk.
In the House of Commons I urged the Leader of the House to apologise but, extraordinarily, he dug in deeper and repeated what he’d said.
I’m glad to say that, following further criticism from all sides of the House, and an unprecedented intervention from Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England, Rees-Mogg was finally forced to apologise.
Dr Nicholl is a consultant neurologist, an expert in his field, who has drawn up a risk register of epilepsy and neurology drugs for the government’s own Operation Yellowhammer no-deal plans.
You can watch my question to Jacob Rees-Mogg here.
Forcing the Leader of the House to apologise
Many people were appalled last Thursday to hear Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg compare consultant Dr David Nicholl, who helped draw up no-deal medical plans ahead of a possible no-deal Brexit, to the disgraced anti-vaxxer Andrew Wakefield. Wakefield was struck off the medical register in 2010 after suggesting a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Because of his actions, our country this year lost its immunity to measles and hundreds of lives have been put at risk.In the House of Commons I urged the Leader of the House to apologise but, extraordinarily, he dug in deeper and repeated what he’d said. I’m glad to say that, following further criticism from all sides of the House, and an unprecedented intervention from Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England, Rees-Mogg was finally forced to apologise. Dr Nicholl is a consultant neurologist, an expert in his field, who has drawn up a risk register of epilepsy and neurology drugs for the government’s own Operation Yellowhammer no-deal plans.You can watch my question to Jacob Rees-Mogg here.
Posted by Thangam Debbonaire MP for Bristol West on Monday, September 9, 2019