Image source, HoC

Wes Streeting says the government must do more to counter anti-vaccination "conspiracy theories" to get people on-side.

He adds that it's "indisputable" the third jab adds protection against the Omicron variant, and that it's necessary to stop the system "toppling over" during the winter.

Streeting adds that this is why it's essential that all NHS staff get the full protection available.

Streeting says Labour does not support mandatory vaccinations in general - but the party is backing compulsory Covid jabs for front-line NHS staff.

He recognises this is a "difficult issue" but says it has the support of patients and the threat from the Omicron variant makes it even more important to be vaccinated.

He adds that there is already a precedent, with NHS staff required to be vaccinated against other diseases.

Why is Labour not joining the Tory rebels?published at 15:21 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2021

15:21 GMT 14 December 2021

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Labour has resisted the temptation to side with Conservative rebels and defeat the government on some of today's votes – including on mandatory vaccination for front-line NHS staff.

But, of course, were the opposition to side with the rebels, the size of the rebellion could decrease - as some Tory MPs know they can lodge a protest against the measures without risking a government defeat.

But politically, Labour has calculated that many of its target voters prefer a message of unity to division.

Hence the insistence by Wes Streeting that it is putting public health ahead of politics.

On advice to work from home if possible, Streeting says Labour has been calling for this for months.

Addressing criticism that people are being asked to work from home but can still socialise, the shadow health secretary says he "makes no apology for trying to safeguard social interactions" and supporting the hospitality industry.

“We want to protect people’s ability to enjoy Christmas safely this year," he says, adding that limiting work contacts allows this.

Image source, HoC

Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson intervenes to ask whether Covid passes give a false sense of security, as people can still catch the virus if they are fully vaccinated.

In response, Streeting says the evidence from the continent suggests Covid passes give people "confidence" to go out and encourage people to take up vaccination.

He says the Lib Dems should "reconsider their position" on Covid passes.

On mandatory Covid passes for nightclubs and other large venues, Streeting says Labour has insisted that these also include the option of showing a negative test and not be required to access essential services.

For this reason, Labour is backing mandatory Covid passes.

The shadow health secretary says this means an adequate supply of lateral flow tests is needed.

It's "no good if tests are in the warehouse", he says, they need to be available when people need them.

Image source, Getty Images

Streeting now explains why Labour supports the measures being proposed by the government.

On the extension of mandatory masks to more indoor venues he says no-one enjoys wearing a mask but it is "nothing" compared with the cost that more "draconian" restrictions would have.

He says masks are "a price worth paying" and also help people feel safe in crowded places, which is "vital" to the economy.

Sreeting adds that Labour believes the government should never have ended the requirement to wear masks in the first place.

Surreal start to Streeting speechpublished at 15:01 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2021

15:01 GMT 14 December 2021

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

This is a prominent platform for the recently appointed shadow health secretary Wes Streeting.

He is keen to widen the gap between Conservative ministers and their backbenchers.

So, in a bit of a surreal start to his speech, he declared that Sajid Javid wasn’t a Nazi.

He was picking up on Tory backbencher Marcus Fysh’s comments about Covid passports earlier on BBC 5 Live.

Mr Fysh said that Covid passes would be "segregating society based on an unacceptable thing".

"We are not a 'papers please' society. This is not Nazi Germany," he told 5 Live.

Three members of Labour's shadow cabinet have today tested positive for Covid.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson and shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon have all tweeted to relay the news.

As a result, none of them are able to vote in tonight's Covid regulations divisions.

Image source, HoC

Responding to Sajid Javid's statement, Labour's (relatively new) shadow health secretary Wes Streeting says his party will "act in the national interest", putting "public health before politics".

He says Labour believes the extra measures being proposed are necessary - and the party will back them.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid closes his statement to MPs by saying the Covid-prevention steps being introduced are "not measures any of us would like to be putting in place" but the situation "demands them".

"When the facts change, our response must change too," he adds.

Javid stresses that he will never support universal mandatory vaccination in England.

He says he firmly believes getting vaccinated should be a "positive decision".

And the government has no plans to extend mandatory vaccination to other workplaces or more widely, he adds.

From 04:00 GMT on Wednesday, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe will no longer be on the travel red list.

This means it effectively ceases to operate, as there are no other countries on it.

UK citizens arriving from the 11 African countries will no longer have to pay for and self-isolate in a pre-booked, government-approved hotel for 10 days.

Read the full story.

Image source, Reuters

Javid now moves on to plans to make Covid vaccination mandatory for NHS staff.

He says take-up is high but varies between different areas. It is "critical to patient safety" that NHS and care home staff get the jab, he adds.

Having a Covid vaccine is already a condition of employment in care homes and the health secretary says the government is not aware of any homes closing, with mandatory vaccination the "primary cause".

Javid says the government is also "restoring freedoms", with the requirement for contacts of suspected Omicron cases to self-isolate for 10 days being removed.

Instead, contacts of Covid cases will be asked to take daily lateral flow tests for seven days.

In response to concerns about people not being able to order free tests online, the health secretary says the government has "plenty of stock" but the issue is that distribution has been limited - although capacity is being increased.

Tory rebels give Javid a rough ridepublished at 14:36 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2021

14:36 GMT 14 December 2021

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Conservative rebels have been quick to intervene on Sajid Javid in the Covid debate.

The fear of former Chief Whip Mark Harper and others is that the government will sneak in more restrictions when Parliament isn’t sitting next week or the week after.

Hence the demands for a parliamentary recall if new measures are deemed necessary.

This also signifies a lack of trust in government among some prominent former ministers

Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael says Covid passports have been used elsewhere - including in his native Scotland - but where is the proof they work?

Javid says they are used widely across the world, but in England they will only be used in limited, high risk venues.

"We can't eliminate the risk of Covid 19," he says. "But we can reduce it."

And he says the governments proposals "offer a pragmatic way" of doing it

He also promises a "sunset" clause on the measures so they will end on 26 January.

If the government wanted to change that in some way, they would have to come back and seek the House's approval, he adds.

Red list announcement unlikely to assuage rebelspublished at 14:31 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2021

14:31 GMT 14 December 2021

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

As Omicron is very much with us, removing countries from the travel red list seems to make sense.

But announcing this at the same time as further restrictions are being debated will be designed to prove that measures can be lifted as well as imposed, according to the progress of the pandemic.

It will also be aimed at reassuring MPs who fear for the future of the travel industry.

But it won’t stop a sizeable rebellion on Plan B.

Image source, Getty Images

Javid says Covid certificates are not "vaccine passports".

He says it is important to him to have a range of options rather than just being jabbed, such as a negative test or proof of exemption.

And he says the requirement to have a Covid passport would only cover a small number of settings.

One Tory MP says he is worried about a "two-tier system" and wants the health secretary to assure him negative tests "will always be an option".

Javid does reassure him and says he would not support a vaccine-only option.

Ione Wells
Westminster Correspondent, BBC News

Some Labour MPs have indicated they will defy their party whip to vote against Covid passports and mandatory vaccinations for NHS staff, sources have told the BBC.

The Unite union has written to Labour MPs urging them to vote against mandatory vaccines for NHS staff.

The exact numbers are unknown, but it’s not expected the number of Labour rebels would be enough for the government’s measures not to pass – even taking into account Conservative rebels.