Hemel Hempstead MP to vote against Prime Minister's Covid Plan B

The MP for Hemel Hempstead, Sir Mike Penning, has said he will not back the PM on Plan B in the vote next week.

In September the government set out its plan for tackling coronavirus over the winter period, with a set of 'Plan B' measures to prevent the NHS 'coming under unsustainable pressure'.

Yesterday (December 8) Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced further tightening of rules in response to spread of omicron Covid variant

Those changes, which have now been expanded in light of the Omicron variant, are:

> Reintroducing guidance to work from home, if you can, from 13 December

> Legally mandating face masks in "most public indoor venues", including theatres and cinemas from 10 December, with exceptions "where it's not practical, including while eating, drinking, exercising or singing"

> NHS COVID passes for nightclubs, unseated indoor venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people, and any venue with more than 10,000 people

> Daily testing for people identified as a contact of a coronavirus case - with isolation required only for people who test positive.

Sir Mike said: “I have made it clear all along that I would not support vaccine passports unless it was absolutely necessary, so I will not be supporting them now. I do not believe they are an effective solution, and they are discriminatory.

“I regularly check the local data and whilst it appears the omicron variant is more transmissible; it also seems to be milder and less dangerous – certainly for people who have had the two jabs and a booster.

"In West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust area thankfully there have been no deaths in the last 8 days as a result of Covid-19.

“The Government is implementing Plan B “just in case”, rather than based on any clear evidence.

"The impact of further restrictions on peoples’ mental health and wellbeing, delays to medical treatment like operations and the effect on the local and national economy, is just too much to justify this pre-emptive action. So sadly, I can’t back the Government this time.

“Like it or not, we are going to have to learn to live with Covid-19 in the long term. The vaccines – especially two jabs and a booster – are our saviour.

"So, if you haven’t already, please, please get your jabs and booster as soon as possible. It will benefit you and your family and friends. The vaccines are literally saving thousands of lives.”