Boris Johnson has said Covid status certification will have “a role” in the UK’s post-pandemic future, but insisted “no decisions have been taken at all”. He later suggested it may be down to individual hospitality businesses to enforce entry restrictions based on vaccination status.
The comments have sparked a vociferous response from businesses and MPs.
On this episode of the New Statesman podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the ensuing debate over Covid vaccine passports, and explore why it tells us more about Boris Johnson himself than it does about future, potentially unenforceable, governement policy.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your question on whether delaying the local elections by a year will be favourable for the Labour Party.
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Further reading
Ailbhe argues that vaccine passports aren’t as controversial as some suggest.
Harry Clarke-Ezzidio was ahead of the curve with his exclusive report on iProov, the tech start-up creating facial verification technology which could be used in an effort to create “digital health passports” for hospitality use in a post-pandemic world.
Stephen has compiled a comprehensive breakdown of what’s up for grabs in the 2021 local elections.
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