Sajid Javid said the government “will not be going ahead” with plans for vaccine passports in order to gain access to nightclubs and other crowded events.
Plans had been announced that members of the public would be required to show proof they have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in order to gain entry to clubs and other large-scale events in England.
But in a U-turn on Sunday, following a backlash from Tory MPs, the health secretary said the idea had been scrapped.
He told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show: “I’ve never liked the idea of saying to people you must show your papers or something to do what is just an everyday activity, but we were right to properly look at it.”
Explaining why vaccine passports are being scrapped, Sajid Javid said: “I’ve never liked the idea of saying to somebody you must show your papers”.
— Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (@BellRibeiroAddy) September 12, 2021
Wait until he hears about the Government’s plans to make everyone do this when they vote, potentially disenfranchising millions.
Javid was reminded shortly after of the government’s plans to introduce voter IDs for elections, which could disenfranchise more than two million voters.
Campaign groups say first-time voters, older voters, disabled people and black, Asian and minority ethnic voters were likely to be most affected – with polling also showing voters in the north of England will be impacted more than those in the south.
But the government said the Bill will strengthen the integrity of elections.
Watch the clip in full below:
Sajid Javid on vaccine passports:
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) September 12, 2021
“I don’t like the idea of saying to people you must show your papers”
In unrelated news, the government plans to make people show their papers to vote.
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