Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt has scolded independent MP Andrew Bridgen for sharing “conspiracy theories” in the House of Commons.
North West Leicestershire MP Mr Bridgen raised concerns about the World Health Organisation (WHO), claiming it was “an unelected, unaccountable, discredited supra-national body which is hugely funded by the same people who fund big pharma”.
Ms Mordaunt listed a series of claims recently made and shared by Mr Bridgen on social media and in the Commons, telling him to “check his behaviour”.
Mr Bridgen told the Commons he was concerned about “proposed changes to the WHO international health regulations which will not require a vote” from Parliament to be approved.
He asked: “Can we urgently have a Government statement on these proposed changes which could look set to hand over huge powers to an unelected, unaccountable, discredited supra-national body which is hugely funded by the same people who fund big pharma?”
Commons Leader Ms Mordaunt replied: “I think it is incredibly important that we have the facts of whether it is such treaties, whether it is facts about vaccines and so forth out in the public domain.
To cheers from MPs, she added: “These are outrageous conspiracy theories that he is promoting on his social media and more frequently on the floor of this House, and I would urge him to check his behaviour.”
Earlier during the day at environment questions, Mr Bridgen had raised concerns about insect protein “increasingly being pushed on social media as an alternative food despite concerns over contaminations”.
Environment minister Mark Spencer said all novel food was “assessed before it is allowed to be placed onto the UK market”.
He added: “Food derived from or including insect protein must be properly labelled, with ingredients clearly indicated and any warning such as the presence of allergens included on the label.”
Mr Bridgen had the Conservative whip suspended in January after comparing the Covid-19 vaccines rollout to the Holocaust on social media.
