Dowden rules out Covid passes for Tories’ annual conference

TORY MPS and activists will not be forced to prove their Covid status to attend the party conference next month, Oliver Dowden has ruled.

The newly appointed Conservative co-chairman will urge the party faithful to use the NHS Covid pass app, but will confirm today that it will not be mandatory for attendees at the annual meeting in Manchester.

The move draws a clear line between the Tories and Labour, after Sir Keir Starmer’s party decided to make proof of double vaccination, a negative test or natural immunity a condition of entry at its conference in Brighton, which starts on Saturday.

A source close to Mr Dowden told The last night: “Oliver gets where the party is on mandatory certification and trusts people to do the right thing to keep conference safe. The hugely successful vaccine rollout has enabled us to put the emphasis on personal responsibility.”

During the summer, lockdown-sceptic Tory MPS had warned they would boycott the conference if they were forced to have vaccine passports in order to enter the venue.

Since then the Government has shelved plans to introduce mandatory Covid certification for large, crowded events this autumn, although ministers have encouraged their use at nightclubs and mass events where people may meet others with whom they do not normally interact.

Mr Dowden took the decision not to demand Covid certification at the conference during his first days in his new role, after he was moved from culture secretary in last week’s reshuffle.