Tory rebels today vowed to fight Boris Johnson’s ‘disgusting’ threat to make anyone going to a nightclub prove they are double-jabbed – but warned any Commons revolt would be ‘pointless’ unless Labour opposes the move.
The PM faces a furious backlash from MPs and civil liberties campaigners after delivering an ultimatum to young people at a press briefing last night.
Former Supreme Court justice Lord Sumption said the move was ‘completely unnecessary’ given the high rates of vaccine take-up across the UK.
Scientist Carl Heneghan suggested it is the thin end of the wedge, saying if the government is worried about ‘crowded spaces’ they will end up demanding medical evidence to board the Tube.
And Professor Sir Jonathan Montgomery, who chaired the ethics advisory board for NHSx on its contact tracing app, warned that ministers need to be wary about ‘where incentive meets coercion’. Critics also pointed out that being vaccinated is not a guarantee people do not have coronavirus, with around 40 per cent of hospital cases having been jabbed.
Tory MP Charles Walker declared he will vote against the plan if it comes to the Commons after the summer recess. ‘It will start with nightclubs and then quickly move on to other parts of the hospitality sector,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s World at One.
Source: Dailymail.co.uk