Call for new taskforce anti-vaccine conspiracists

A TASKFORCE should be set up to expose the sources of “malicious anti-vaccination propaganda” as part of moves to get more vulnerable people to get the jab.

That was the view of a trio of Labour politicians in Birmingham pressing for tougher action against individuals “deliberately spreading lies and misinformation to deter people” from taking a vaccination when offered it.

GPs and public health chiefs have acknowledged a lower uptake of the vaccine so far among ethnic minorities, as reported in last week’s Post.

“These liars are risking innocent people’s lives and livelihoods,” said MP Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill).

“The Government has got to stop mucking around with this and crack on immediately with tough financial and criminal penalties for repeat offenders.”

They were responding to an onslaught of videos, messages and fake news paraded as fact that are seen to be undermining the vaccination programme.

The messages, shared via WhatsApp groups, Facebook and other social media sites, are deemed to contribute to anxiety. In a letter to the Home Secretary, the politicians, Mr Byrne, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson and PCC candidate Simon Foster, press for action.

They write: “BAME communities across the country are currently being subjected to a high level of malicious anti-vaccination propaganda online.

“This is resulting in high levels of vaccination refusal and slowing up the vital work needed to enable the relaxing of lockdown measures. “Here in the West Midlands, we recognise that in order to nullify the threat that lies pose to our most vulnerable communities we must attack them in three ways. “Firstly, whenever we encounter a lie, we must confront it head-on. “Secondly, we have to identify and attack the lies at source. “Thirdly, we have to hold the platforms that support and promote deadly lies to account.” They say a ‘‘national effort’’ is needed to expose and isolate the people and organisations behind the creation of propagandistic material.

“The people who are creating and disseminating damaging, and often racist, material into community groups must be held accountable.”

They recommend the Home Office bring together national agencies to “dedicate a team to tracing these viral campaigns back to source”.

Mr Byrne and fellow city MP Shabana Mahmood last week highlighted concerns that far right extremists might be deliberately targeting and exploiting genuine fears and spreading misinformation.