Covid: Labour Oxford councillor has whip removed over 'private' jab

The post showed Jamila Azad and another woman receiving injections from a man in medical scrubs and PPE

A Labour councillor has had the whip removed by the party after claiming on social media to have received a Covid vaccination from a private doctor.

Jamila Azad, who has been elected to both Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, has since removed the post from her Facebook page.

The government said jabs were only allowed to be administered by the NHS.

Ms Azad said she did not want to comment. However, her family said she received the vaccine through the NHS.

Labour has said she has not been suspended from the party but will effectively sit as an independent councillor while an investigation is carried out.

The original Facebook post showed Ms Azad and another woman receiving injections from a man in medical scrubs and PPE, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The comment said it was a "Private Care Doctor for Covid 19 vaccine"

It added: "A long wait for NHS waiting list. We had take away from Akber take away."

Ms Azad declined to comment about the issue

It is unclear where Ms Azad may have received the vaccine.

According to The Department of Health and Social Care, it would be illegal to administer vaccines outside of the NHS.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which would be responsible for any enforcement action, said it was investigating.

Lynda Scammell from the agency said: "Vaccines that are not authorised for use in UK, and if purchased from outside the legitimate NHS supply route, cannot be guaranteed to meet standards of quality, safety and effectiveness."

Councillors Susan Brown and Liz Brighouse, the leaders of the Labour groups at Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council respectively, issued a joint statement in relation to the post.

It said: "Following a recent post on her Facebook account about her Covid-19 vaccination, Councillor Jamila Azad has been suspended by the whips of both the Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council Labour groups, pending further investigation.

"Councillor Azad has now removed the post in question.

"We will be making no further comment on this matter until formal investigations into it have been completed."

Councillor Craig Simmons, who leads the Greens at Oxford City Council, said Ms Azad would have breached the authority's code of conduct if she had paid for the vaccine privately.

"If [she] did indeed bypass the NHS and secure a vaccine from a private medical facility through illegal means then her position is untenable," he said.

"Principles such as selflessness, honesty and integrity are core to the code and Councillor Azad's behaviour, should the allegations be proven, would fall far short of what is expected and required of all councillors."