Andrew Bridgen was driving around pulling a huge trailer with his face on it up in Leicestershire when a strong breeze caught the thing and it veered out of control. The winds of change come for all…
Traffic was disrupted and the A511 given a few dents as a result. Not quite the campaign trail he was hoping to leave behind. At least he’s managed to get a car now he can’t use Laurence Fox’s…
Matt Hancock and Andrew Bridgen’s legal skirmish over Hancock’s “anti-vax” tweet has kicked off with an indecisive result. Hancock’s request to strike out Bridgen’s libel claim has been rejected today in the High Court – while Bridgen is told that his claim is defective and needs to be changed. Hancock’s team are claiming this as a victory…
“Matt welcomes the fact that a core part of Mr Bridgen’s absurd claim has been struck out as defective. Mr Bridgen has been told if he wants to put forward a non-defective case then he can do so, and if he does we will obviously continue to fight it, and are highly confident of winning. We will be seeking all relevant costs.“
Bridgen hits back and calls that rubbish – the judge gave him a “green light” to “improve our position“. He tells Guido that “once the human shield of Hancock is shot through it’s on to Sunak and the Conservative Party“. The usual fisticuff talk…
The legal point here surrounds whether Hancock’s tweet about the “disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP” constitutes an “ordinary reference” or the much weaker “reference innuendo”. Mrs Justice Steyn is clear in her ruling that Bridgen can’t argue the former:
“The claimant’s pleading of reference is defective. However, the pleading is not only capable of being cured, it is highly likely that the claimant would have little difficulty establishing reference innuendo.“
The case will either be fought in full or be struck out at the next stage. Expect fireworks in a few months…
Cabinet minister Michael Gove is under investigation by Parliament’s standards watchdog. The probe, initiated yesterday, concerns Gove’s financial interests as Housing Secretary. Andrew Bridgen has also been placed under investigation. The exact reasons for both are still unknown…
Andrew Bridgen left the Reclaim party in late December after he released a statement citing a “difference in the direction of the Party”. That came as a bit of a surprise – now the fumes have cleared, Guido can reveal the circumstances surrounding Bridgen’s decision. The split was more of a gear shift than might have been expected…
Guido hears Bridgen borrowed the Reclaim Party’s company car before Christmas for a spot of constituency work. Laurence Fox then called him up asking for the car back to carry a Christmas tree. Bridgen said no. Fox said he would report the car to the police as missing or stolen if Bridgen did not return it. Bridgen gave him a more resolute “no” and released his statement of resignation. Carmageddon…
Bridgen tells Guido he is “grateful for all the help Reclaim gave me over the nine months“. Partnership parked…
Guido revealed in May that Andrew Bridgen was joining Fox’s Reclaim Party – now he’s tendered his resignation due to a “difference in the direction of the Party“. He will stand as an independent in 2024. Reclaim loses its only MP…
Read Bridgen’s full statement below:
The race for the Tory candidacy in Andrew Bridgen’s seat of North West Leicestershire is getting nasty today as two candidates have launched complaints against another for allegedly violating prospective candidate rules. A Tory majority of 20,000 guarantees a hard-fought battle…
Guido can reveal that the complaint relates to a 10-page campaign document that long-list candidate and former Labour council candidate Raaj Shamji supposedly sent to the chairman of the selection council explaining how he would campaign and fundraise for the area. This is against the rules in the sifting period – other candidates will think Shamji had an unfair advantage. Tories are no strangers to drama in the pre-election elections…
UPDATE: Shamji says he hasn’t sent any 10-page document to the chairman, who tells Guido that Shamji acted “appropriately and within the rules” throughout the process. Briefing wars…
