Doctor uses Reform conference speech to link king’s cancer to Covid vaccine

Aseem Malhotra drew gasps from the audience in Birmingham when he made the claim. Photograph: Isabel Infantes/Reuters

A controversial doctor given top billing at the Reform party conference has used his main-stage speech to air a claim the Covid vaccine caused cancer in the royal family.

The speech by Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist who was appointed as a senior adviser to the US health secretary and vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy, drew sharp intakes of breath in the Birmingham auditorium where he was handed a prime speaking slot.