Furious Tory MPs Hit Out at Plan B and Mandatory Vaccines
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The reaction to last night’s Plan B announcement went down like a cup of cold sick with many on the Tory benches. Over 30 Conservative MPs have publicly criticised the move – and the potential shift towards mandatory vaccinations – in the last 24 hours. Here’s a flavour of what they’ve, astutely, been saying:
- Alexander Stafford said “he cannot and will not support mandatory vaccinations“, adding that working from home “disproportionately negatively affects younger people and those starting out in their careers”.
- Angela Richardson* called compulsory vaccinations “a step too far“. *Michael Gove’s PPS.
- Ben Bradley called vaccine passports “ineffective and discriminatory”, and said he “[doesn’t] believe the evidence supports Plan B and […] will not vote for it.”
- Brendan Clarke-Smith tweeted a GIF of Simon Cowell shaking his head, captioned with “it’s a no from me“.
- Dehenna Davison this morning said she will vote against vaccine passports, and “the evidence we have been presented with does not justify further restrictions on liberties“.
- Douglas Ross said “There is no evidence that vaccine passports stop the spread of Covid” and that since he didn’t vote for them in Holyrood, he wouldn’t vote for them in Westminster either.
- Graham Brady said in the chamber last night that “it’s deja vu all over again, isn’t it?“
- Mark Harper said “there is no exit strategy”, and asked “why should people at home…do things that people working in Number 10 Downing Street are not prepared to do?”
- Mark Jenkinson went on a retweet spree in opposition to the plans, including a tweet from Iain Dale calling the announcement “a total overreaction“. Jenkinson’s bio does say that retweets don’t represent endorsements, although Guido was hard-pressed to find anything supportive on his timeline…
- Peter Bone slammed compulsory vaccinations on Newsnight, calling the idea “completely outrageous“, and even saying “I’d be the first to say the PM should go” if they were implemented.
- Simon Jupp said “I don’t support Plan B”, called vaccine passports “divisive & discriminatory”, and made it clear that he “won’t vote for these measures.”
- Stephen McPartland said “Plan B makes little sense” and he doesn’t agree with vaccine passports.
- Steve Baker insisted it is “vital that the maximum number of Conservative MPs vote against Plan B, whatever our useless Opposition do”.
A Commons vote on the plan is scheduled for early next week, though given Labour has already announced they’ll back the move, it’s unlikely to be rejected even with a significant Tory rebellion. Still, Downing Street’s party hangover could have done without the additional headache…
Read the list of rebels in full:
- Alexander Stafford
- Angela Richardson
- Anthony Mangnall
- Ben Bradley
- Ben Spencer
- Brendan Clarke-Smith
- Chris Chope
- Chris Green
- Christian Wakeford
- Craig MacKinlay
- Darren Henry
- David Davis
- Dehenna Davison
- Desmond Swayne
- Douglas Ross
- Gary Sambrook
- Graham Brady
- John Redwood
- Mark Harper
- Mark Jenkinson
- Peter Bone
- Philip Davies
- Richard Drax
- Robert Goodwill
- Simon Jupp
- Siobhan Baillie
- Stephen McPartland
- Steve Baker
- Will Wragg
