London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited fellow parliamentarians of Conservative Party for a drinks reception at Downing Street Tuesday evening, but with the condition that they carry along a so-called “Covid pass” – or proof of being vaccinated or a recent negative test.
Some members of Parliament are not entirely happy about this requirement and plan to turn up without any such proof, even if it means being turned away.
According to ‘The Daily Telegraph’, which has seen the invitation, the message reads that “for security and safety reasons… You will need to present your NHS Covid Pass on entry which shows proof of double vaccination, a recent infection or a recent negative test”.
Johnson is said to be meeting with groups of Tory members of Parliament following the summer recess according to the years they were elected, with Tuesday’s party intended for parliamentarians elected before 2009.
“I will turn up at Number 10 and if I’m asked for a Covid passport, I will politely decline. There are other parties,” said Sir Desmond Swayne, a Conservative member of Parliament for New Forest West.
Another veteran Tory parliamentarian, who did not want to be named, asked why members of Parliament could mix with Boris Johnson without any proof of vaccination in Parliament, which reopened on Monday, but not at his 10 Downing Street office-residence.
“Why do we need a vaccine passport to meet him in Downing Street but not when we meet him in the Commons,” he questioned.
A Number 10 Downing Street source told the newspaper that “no one will be denied entry” if parliamentarians turned up for the drinks without proof of Covid-status.
UK Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said over the weekend that the use of the COVID-19 certificates for big venues as well as nightclubs was “the right thing to do” because larger numbers of people mixing in close proximity “could end up causing a real spike in infections”.
It comes as the UK reached another Covid milestone with official figures showing that more than 7 million confirmed cases of coronavirus have now been recorded in the country since the pandemic began, even as another 41,192 positive tests were reported along with 45 Covid -related deaths Monday.
Meanwhile, pupils across the UK began returning to school this week after the summer break, with many Covid measures such as the requirement for face masks and isolation bubbles for classrooms now lifted.
PTI
