Plan B: MPs vote for mandatory vaccines for NHS frontline staff

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On Tuesday, the House of Commons voted to introduce both mandatory Covid jabs for NHS workers as well as vaccine passports for large events. Nearly 100 Tories rebelled against the Prime Minister’s Covid bills, as well as Jeremy Corbyn.

The former leader of the Labour Party has been outspoken against vaccine passports and mandatory jabs, while still encouraging people to take them to protect against Covid.

On Twitter, Mr Corbyn said: “Tonight I will oppose both compulsory vaccines for NHS staff, and the introduction of vaccine passports.

“Both measures are counterproductive and will create division when we need cooperation and unity.”

He also told LBC’s Tom Swarbrick on Sunday: “I’m worried about the direction we’re going in with Covid passports, and the danger, which I see it as quite serious, of compulsory vaccination for NHS staff.

“Testing is an appropriate way of doing things. I mean, you do a temperature check when people come in here. That seems to me to be fair enough.”

Martin Daubney, Deputy Leader of The Reclaim Party, voiced his shock he agreed with the former Labour Party leader on vaccine passports.

He said on Twitter: “I never thought I’d say this, especially after fighting a tough campaign two years ago to keep him out of power at all costs, but…

“I agree with Jeremy Corbyn. Have we slipped into a parallel universe?

“That’s how broken British politics is.”

The former Brexit Party MEP for the West Midlands has recently been critical of Mr Johnson and the Tories for their Covid policy.

He said in a separate tweet: “Inflation. Taxation. Enforced vaccination. Covid documentation. Illegal immigration

“The Tories have lost control & Labour & Libs would make it worse.”

Tuesday saw both bills for mandatory Covid jabs for NHS workers and vaccine passports pass with a clear majority, due to Labour overwhelmingly backing the measures.

But Mr Johnson suffered his biggest rebellion during the passport vote, as 97 Conservatives voted against the measure.

Before the vote, the Prime Minister addressed the 1922 Committee to try and convince them to back his plans.

In the end, 369 voted in favour of the plans to 126, with a majority of 243.

Following the rebellion, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the 1922 Committee, warned a leadership challenge against the Prime Minister has “got to be on the cards” in the new year.

He told Sky News he was “very surprised” by the size of the rebellion, adding it “shows quite a major division within the party”.

Sir Geoffrey added there must be a “major change” in the way Mr Johnson leads the Government, as the backbencher said the Prime Minister “has got to now be in some danger and he has got to realise that”.

The MP then said that unless Mr Johnson gets his leadership back on track then “some members of the party will be thinking to themselves we have got to have a change” with a leadership contest “on the cards” next year.

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