The BMA shared Anderson’s tweet and posted: “Doctors have been repeatedly misrepresented by the Government during this industrial dispute"
Tory Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson has apologised to a doctor over a misleading social media post he made on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Anderson, who is no stranger to controversy, said he wanted to offer his “sincerest apologies” to Tom Dolphin for “any distress caused” by his post on X, relating to the junior doctors strike.
The MP for Ashfield posted on X: “On the 6th October 2023 I shared a link on X to a Mail Online article entitled ‘Militant union leader at the heart of doctors strikes is a Labour activist who boasted of charging the NHS for a strike cover shift.’
“I accept that my words were misleading as the subject in question Dr Tom Dolphin was not on strike on the date of the shift in question but was simply covering a shift as a consultant for junior doctors who were on strike on 11th August 2023.
“I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to Dr Dolphin for any distress upset caused. I will also like to add that I understand that Dr Dolphin actually donated his pay for the covered shift which I believe was £1870 to the BMA strike fund and whilst I do not agree with the strikes I want to go on the record to say that I think it is a very unselfish act on the part of Dr Dolphin to put his money into something he strongly believes in. I will make the same contribution to compensate the upset I may have caused Dr Dolphin.”
Anderson, a presenter on GB News, appears to have deleted the tweet from 6 October that he has apologised for.
Dr Dolphin tweeted in response to Anderson’s apology: “A very gracious apology, thank you Lee Anderson.
“Thanks also for the donation. I hope it inspires others to donate to the strike fund as well.”
The BMA shared Anderson’s tweet and posted: “Doctors have been repeatedly misrepresented by the Government during this industrial dispute so it is good that these false claims about Dr Thomas Dolphin have now been corrected.
“We are grateful to Mr Anderson for his contribution to our strike fund.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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