Sajid Javid says no to vaccine passports – 12 jabs at the government’s latest u-turn
The government’s controversial vaccine passport scheme may never materialise.
The plan for proof of full vaccination to be required for entry to nightclubs and other large events had been due to to start at the end of September, amid savage protests from individuals and professional bodies.
Objections included the suggestion that it would suppress the delicate recovery of the hospitality industry, as well as highly offensive comparisons with the identification badge system used by the Nazis.
The vaccine passport is exactly like the Nazi yellow star – if the Nazi yellow star meant that the recipients had received life-saving medicine at no cost to themselves and with maybe some free lottery tickets as a side bonus.
— David Frum (@davidfrum) September 12, 2021
I honestly do not care about the vaccine passport situ but some of the arguments against it are quite funny, it’s not your human right to go to a nightclub
— SPAG (@ML3YERMAW) September 10, 2021
Just two days after the Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, confirmed the vaccine passport plan would go ahead, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, told Nick Robinson that the plan has been scrapped for winter, but would be held in reserve as an option.
"We shouldn't be doing things for the sake of it"
Health Secretary Sajid Javid says a scheme for vaccine passports for entry to nightclubs and large events in England will not be going ahead
https://t.co/0WkSrkrIAB #Marr pic.twitter.com/bhWRfdXISZ— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 12, 2021
Those supporting the civil liberties argument saw it as a win.
We did it. 👏 👏 👏 https://t.co/DrKIvOW8m1
— Toby Young (@toadmeister) September 12, 2021
If true, a victory for liberty. And a huge thank you to all those who have fought so hard for our freedoms. https://t.co/sIL74Ew4j4
— Laurence Fox ✌🏼🇬🇧✌🏼 (@LozzaFox) September 12, 2021
Others were concerned about safety, bridling at the hypocrisy of the government’s stance on voter ID – and suspicious of the true motives behind the move.
1.
Sajid Javid on vaccine passports:
“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.
pic.twitter.com/sZPxDHgYRM— David Schneider (@davidschneider) September 12, 2021
2.
Sajid Javid keeps talking his toolbox of measures to fight Covid and it’s clear he is an absolute spanner #marr
— dave ❄️ (@davemacladd) September 12, 2021
3.
Government's winter Covid plan revealed. pic.twitter.com/0jHDSeMXsv
— Craig Deeley ️ (@craiguito) September 12, 2021
4.
It's the hokey cokey policy! You put the vaccine passports in, the passports out. In. Out. In. Out. You shake the polls about… https://t.co/W2tDsvewHh
— Helen Barnard (@Helen_Barnard) September 12, 2021
5.
Scotland: our covid case rates are out of control
England: hold my beer https://t.co/EYbcKdG6Ls— Raj (@lordofthemoon) September 12, 2021
6.
Didn’t go down well then, huh pic.twitter.com/bdXbgIFVVF
— •• (@agirlcalledlina) September 12, 2021
7.
"We reviewed the scientific consensus, in the Daily Mail comment section and the latest voting polls, and decided against passports."#ToryCovidCatastrophe #ToryLiars https://t.co/dLa4dCVQyB
— KeengFeesh #FBPE (@FeeshKeeng) September 12, 2021
8.
Sajid Javid: "I don't like the idea of having to show your papers to do an everyday activity"
Sajid Javid in everyday activities:
"I refuse to show my membership card at this gym!"
"I refuse to show my id at this post office!"
"I refuse to show my coupon for discount!"— Ivo #FBPE #ClimateActionNOW #GTTO (@ivoesdelbe) September 12, 2021
9.
No idea why they've abandoned plans that would have lost them more votes pic.twitter.com/y9Uqj0F9av
— James Massey (@wiregooner) September 12, 2021
10.
Gutted about the scrapping of the vaccine passports. It's been working so hard for the last year you think it'd be allowed to go on holiday now. So mean.
— Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) September 12, 2021
11.
tbf, we only need repressive ID for real life-and-death stuff, like imaginary voter fraud.
— Stephen McGann (@StephenMcGann) September 12, 2021
12.
Javid says that he doesn’t like the idea of “having to show papers to do an everyday activity” in reference to vaccine passports, but many in Parliament think that trans people should have to show a birth certificate to go to the toilet.
— Arthur Webber ️ (@BernieTranders) September 12, 2021
The very funny and brutally insightful @BorisJohnson_MP provided a likely overview of upcoming covid planning.
Sneak preview of our Covid Winter Plan:
-put off doing anything until it's too late
-give unclear, contradictory guidance
-rely on 'British Common Sense' instead of taking responsibility#marr #phillips— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) September 12, 2021
READ MORE
CNBC asked the unvaccinated how they feel about vaccine passports – 15 sick burns
Source BBC Image Screengrab
