Earlier this week, Richard appeared on GB News to in response to the Health Secretary's statement on Plan B and to explain the reasons why he could not support the government proposal to introduce vaccine passports in a number of settings.
Richard Fuller, MP for North East Bedfordshire said:
The introduction of any restrictions requires a careful review of the facts and the exercise of caution both with regard to the potential effect on public health and also to the wider potential effects, for example, on missed diagnoses, people’s livelihoods, mental health and life chances.
The most effective personal, and community, protection against severe illness from Covid remains vaccination. The UK has had one of the most successful vaccination roll outs in the world, with an early start and a high level of voluntary take up. This is now being followed up with a rapid roll out of booster jabs for those who wish to have them, which have now passed 24 million booster jabs. Over the Summer and Autumn months, thanks in large part to this successful vaccination roll out, the UK removed many of the restrictions introduced over the past 18 months. The UK has been pursuing a more open approach than most other European countries: in effect enabling society to learn to live with endemic Covid.
Mandatory domestic vaccine passports would be a major, illiberal, step for our country to take so I am pleased that the government has permitted that lateral flow tests can be used as an alternative. However, there does not seem to me to be sufficient evidence to support this particular measure. Our liberties matter and an important part of my role is to defend liberty and as such I voted against the Covid Passport regulation.
I did not have similar concerns with the extension of the wearing of face masks but am likewise pleased that the government has not extended this requirement to hospitality venues.
Richard's interview on GB News can be watched here. Richard previously wrote about his opposition to vaccine passports in April 2021, which can be read here.
