By Ben Kerrigan-
Boris Johnson has won the backing for Covid passes in England in the face of the biggest revolt by Tory MPs since he became PM.
A total of 99 Conservatives voted against the government, but the measure was passed by a majority of 243 , due to support from labour, whose leader, Keir Starmer, has been a long time supporter of covid passports.
MPs also voted to back compulsory face masks in most indoor settings. One Tory rebel, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Browne, said the scale of the revolt over passes meant a leadership challenge to Mr Johnson had “got to be on the cards” next year.
The Night Time Industries Association, representing nightclubs, which said passes would “jeopardise the survival of businesses in 2022” and called for “urgent additional” financial support from the government.
Under the new rules, over-18s in England must prove they are fully vaccinated or have a recent negative lateral flow test to enter a number of large venues, such as nightclubs, from Wednesdays
It will include the eradication of self-isolation in favour of daily lateral flow tests, for fully vaccinated people who come into contact with Covid cases, including Omicron, was passed unanimously without a vote.
The prime minister told backbench Tory MPs the government had “absolutely no choice” but to introduce them, adding: “We simply cannot rely on the suggestion Omicron may be mild.”
Mr Johnson said the evidence was still “unclear” and even if Omicron symptoms did not become as severe as the Delta variant, the levels of transmission would still put people into hospital and the numbers would be “disastrous”.
There is currently no evidence to indicate the level of hospitalisation or deaths that would result from transmission in the absence of wider vaccination, including boosters.
Scientists say double vaccination and boosters reduces hospitalisation levels and death rates, but no research has been done to show to what degree it may do so.
Tory backbenchers lined up to attack the Covid pass plan, claiming it would spread fear and do nothing to stop halt the spread of Omicron.
Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, warned against “criminalising the people of England for breaking rules that many, it seems, can not follow”.
And former minster Tim Loughton said he did not want “a society where we ask for papers and deprive people of their liberty”.
Labour shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne said his party backed the Plan B measures because they would “help us have a safer Christmas as well as to protect our NHS from being totally overwhelmed”.
He added: “When we are faced with a crisis, Labour will always put people and the health of the nation above party politics.”
Eight Labour MPs, including former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who now sits as an independent, voted against Covid passes.
The new measures are believed to have been brought in to dicert attention from the furore that arose from leaks revealing parties in Downing Street last Christmas, in which ministers were seen flouting coronavirus measures.
There is ample evidence to suggest that double vaccinations do not guarantee any protection from being infected from the coronavirus or its variants, but experts say this is because immunity levels differ for different people, depending on their individual health levels and othe runknown factors.