Jab passports warning over mothers-to-be

PREGNANT women will virtually be forced to spend their lives at coronavirus testing centres under Boris Johnson’s ‘appalling’ plan for vaccine passports, a former Tory minister warned last night.

The Prime Minister is facing a growing revolt over proposals to force Britons to prove their Covid status when entering certain types of venues.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the Government of creating a ‘complete mess’ as he yesterday joined the SNP’s Westminster leader in warning that their opposition MPs will vote against the plans in their current form.

And Tory MP Harriett Baldwin, a former Foreign Office minister, said: ‘Groups such as pregnant women will have to spend their lives in test centres whilst others get preferential access to society. That would be an appalling backwards step.’

Mothers-to-be are advised not to have the vaccine because the jabs have not yet been tested in pregnancy. While there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccine would harm an unborn child, pregnancy is more likely to lead to blood clots.

A Government review has said Covid status certificates could ‘potentially play a role’ in settings such as theatres, nightclubs and mass events, and might also be used in pubs and restaurants to reduce social distancing restrictions.

Ministers have insisted this would not rely solely on vaccination. A recent negative test result or proof of immunity would also suffice.

But Tory backbenchers last night warned this would still create a ‘two tier Britain’ as those unable to have the vaccine – including pregnant women – would have to have constant testing.

At least 40 Conservative MPs are opposed to the plans for domestic vaccine passports, which could be enough to defeat the Government with the

‘Plans seem to be changing daily’

support of opposition parties. Sir Keir confirmed that Labour intends to vote against the plans unless they are altered. ‘We do not support the Government’s plans in their current form, it’s as simple as that,’ he said on a visit to Plymouth.

‘The plans seem to be changing on an almost-daily basis. Only a few weeks ago the Prime Minister was saying he was thinking of vaccine passports to go to the pub – now he says [he] isn’t. One day he’s talking about tests – then it’s certificates. It’s a complete mess.’

Ian Blackford, who leads the SNP at Westminster, suggested his party would do the same. ‘On the basis of the information available, there is not a proposition in front of us that SNP MPs could support,’ he said.

The Prime Minister last night repeated his commitment not to bring in certification for either the April 12 or May 17 stages of easing lockdown.

But Mr Johnson said: ‘It is going to be responsible for any Government to look at the possibility of making sure that we can continue to open up all sectors of the economy in a safe way down the rest of this year and… we will look at all possibilities.’