London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

‘Discriminatory & wrong’: UK health official insists ‘no plans’ for Covid vaccine passports amid growing fears of mandatory jabs

‘Discriminatory & wrong’: UK health official insists ‘no plans’ for Covid vaccine passports amid growing fears of mandatory jabs

The UK government has reassured the public that it is not currently considering making Covid-19 vaccination mandatory, after Parliament debated a petition against placing restrictions on those who refuse the jab.

accines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Monday that the government had “no plans” to roll out an ID that could be used to determine if someone had received a coronavirus jab, and added there was no discussion about imposing penalties on those who choose not to be inoculated.

“I think mandating vaccinations is discriminatory and completely wrong… and I would urge businesses listening to this debate today not to even think about this,” Zahawi said.

"We have absolutely no plans for vaccine passporting."


His comments were part of a debate held by Parliament’s Petitions Committee to discuss a petition submitted to the government, one which had garnered more than 324,000 signatures at the time of this story’s publication.

“I want the Government to prevent any restrictions being placed on those who refuse to have any potential Covid-19 vaccine. This includes restrictions on travel, social events, such as concerts or sports. No restrictions whatsoever,” the petition states, adding that people have the right to decide for themselves if they want to receive the jab.

UK civil liberties group Big Brother Watch hailed Zahawi’s remarks as “a welcome return to rationality,” while adding that the organisation would remain vigilant should the government’s position on the matter change.


Although the minister stressed that there were “currently no plans” for restrictions or passports, the government’s official response to the petition was interpreted by some as worryingly vague.

Describing vaccination as “the most effective and crucial public health intervention” after clean water, the Department of Health and Social Care wrote that it is “everyone’s responsibility to do the right thing for their own health, and for the benefit of the wider community.” The department added that “the Government will carefully consider all options to improve vaccination rates, should that be necessary.”

Zahawi had earlier said that the government was looking into the possibility of creating immunity passports, noting that businesses – some of which already use the NHS Test and Trace app – would probably embrace such a system.

Last week, the UK began administering the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to the public, giving hope to many that the health crisis could be nearing an end, but also raising concerns that the jab could become mandatory. Some governments have already signalled penalties for those who refuse to be inoculated. Ontario, Canada’s Health Minister Christine Elliott has cautioned that the coronavirus vaccine won’t be mandatory, but said those who refuse it could be deprived of certain freedoms, such as the right to travel.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×