Boris Johnson has told Tory MPs to bring health passes, proving their vaccination status or recovery from the coronavirus to attend a party at the Prime Minister’s official residence.
Despite famously contracting and recovering from the Chinese virus and being fully vaccinated, Boris Johnson is reportedly requiring Members of Parliament from his own party to present vaccine passports for a Downing Street drinks event on Tuesday.
An invitation sent to MPs said that “for security and safety reasons… you will need to present your NHS Covid Pass on entry which shows proof of double vaccination, a recent infection or a recent negative test,” The Telegraph reported.
Some lockdown sceptic MPs have vowed to show up at the party without a pass, including Sir Desmond Swayne, who told the paper: “I will turn up at Number 10 and if I’m asked for a Covid passport I will politely decline. There are other parties.”
Tory MP William Wragg added: “Given it is not the law and colleagues are mixing with each other in Parliament it makes no sense. Will there be bouncers turning MPs away?”
A Downing Street source denied that MPs who fail to present their health status will be barred from attending the meeting.
Despite making promises to the contrary, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said over the weekend that the government intends to impose vaccine passports in England by the end of the month. He argued that health passes would be required for large venues including nightclubs, theatres and other areas in order to prevent another national lockdown.
A vote is expected to be put forward in the House of Commons in the coming weeks on the issue. At present, it is not clear if there will be enough opposition to defeat Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s majority.
Currently, 44 Tories, 25 Labour, one Green, and one independent MPs have signed a declaration from the civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch to vote against the measure, meaning that the government could win by one vote.
Meanwhile, Big Brother Watch staged a protest on Monday evening, projecting the phase “Stop COVID Passes” in light onto the Houses of Parliament.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the director of Big Brother Watch, Silkie Carlo said: “It seems like ministers weren’t getting the message so we’ve projected our message onto the face of parliament and telling the government to stop Covid passes.
“We won’t participate, tolerate, or in any way accept the creation of an exclusionary society on the basis of medical health passes that are not going to make anyone any safer.”
Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka
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