Grant Shapps this morning mixed up the messaging on government strategy as he confessed they are in talks to introduce an internationally recognised system allowing those with a Covid vaccine to travel, comparable to a Yellow Fever Card, with Shapps having spoken to his Singaporean and US counterparts about the policy recently. The transport secretary claimed the confusion over government policy has arisen over their rejection of domestic covid passports that would see only those with the jab able to visit, for example, pubs and restaurants.
On Sunday the vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi was asked specifically whether the government is looking at introducing “a vaccine passport specifically allowing people to come and go in the months ahead” and confidently reeled off a number of reasons why they aren’t looking at such a policy, including:
- It being discriminatory
- Vaccines aren’t mandatory in this country
- We don’t know the impact of vaccines on transmission
Zahawi said three days ago they “have no plan of introducing a vaccine passport”. It’s a miracle, therefore, the Today Programme this morning secured an interview with a company developing digital vaccine passports paid for by the government…
Just hours after demanding the government rescinds its invite to President Trump over his travel ban, Sadiq Khan will tonight host a City Hall reception with 11 dignitaries whose countries bar Israeli citizens from entering. Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen will all be represented at the gathering of ambassadors this evening. All 11 of these countries block travel to Israeli passport holders. Khan will use tonight’s party to criticise Trump’s ban as “cruel, prejudiced and counterproductive.” While dining with 11 diplomats whose countries have done the same for years…
UPDATE: Tory London Assembly member Andrew Boff says:
“I fully support the Mayor’s condemnation of President Trump’s divisive travel ban but he should also be willing to condemn those countries that discriminate against citizens from Israel – particularly when he is hosting their representatives at a drinks reception at City Hall.”
UKIP’s Peter Whittle adds:
“Will the Mayor use this occasion to speak out against the 11 countries that permanently ban Israelis? Of course he won’t. Will he rescind their invites to this party, just as he’s calling for the state visit to be stopped? Of course he won’t. Like the protesters yesterday, his outrage is highly selective.”
And Nigel Farage tells Sadiq:
“You want Trump banned from UK but are happy with anti-Israeli discrimination. You are a hypocrite.”
