Following Guido’s earlier story of Ian Lavery’s classic antivaxxer tropes about the vaccination effort necessary to end this new lockdown. The former Labour Party Chairman said:

“It’s absolutely outrageous, why would anybody have any confidence in the vaccine?”

“I have got concerns about how these vaccines have come onto the market when it would normally take ten years and this took four month”

“It normally takes three or four years for this to pass through the regulatory procedures, and it hasn’t taken three or four weeks.”

“Of course I’ve got concerns, massive concerns about this government and the lack of trust.”

Of course, Lavery’s concerns were factually incorrect given most vaccines were first made a year ago, and have been through worldwide parallel trials over the last 12 months to ensure safety and efficacy. A few hours after Guido’s story went to pixel, Lavery has come out with what looks like an almost apology, claiming his words have been “taken out of context”. Guido understands the statement came about after a stern talking to from the Leader of the Opposition’s Office…

Let me be crystal clear, the way out of this pandemic is for people to take up the opportunity of a jab as soon as contacted by the NHS. pic.twitter.com/HMUdZjsif8

— Ian Lavery MP (@IanLaveryMP) January 5, 2021

A Labour Party spokesperson told Guido the party had “nothing to add” to Lavery’s statement. Starmer’s campaign for a new law to ban anti-vaxxer conspiracies has apparently been replaced by the impression that a quick stern talking to and half apology will do. Another MP caught on Zoom by us later claiming his words “were taken out of context”.  Guido’s not sure what possible other context absolves Lavery’s parroting of classic antivaxx tropes…