Covid: No split over vaccines policy, Labour insists

The Labour first minister of Wales has distanced himself from a call by his party leader for teachers to get Covid vaccines during February half term.

Sir Keir Starmer has called for teachers and support staff to get the jab in mid-February, after the top four priority groups.

But Mark Drakeford said this should only happen if the JCVI, the official vaccination body, recommends it first.

Labour leadership sources sought to play down suggestions of a split.

A spokesman for Sir Keir said he recognised half-term vaccination would be a decision for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

However, Sir Keir did not make this explicit on Wednesday, when he first announced the policy during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs).

Following Mr Drakeford's comments, Sir Keir repeated his suggestion for the "February half term window" to be used to vaccinate school workers.

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In a press release issued after PMQs on Wednesday, Labour also called for "key workers in critical professions" to be prioritised "alongside" other groups in an "expanded" version of the vaccine rollout.

The party said the JCVI should draw up a list of key workers to get the jab at the same time as those it has already put in the top nine priority groups, including all over-50s and those with health risks.

The party's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth suggested police officers, teachers, fire fighters and transport workers should be included.

The JCVI - an independent body of experts - has so far only recommended priority vaccination for frontline health and social care workers in the first phase.

It has said early vaccination of other professions should be considered - but only after everyone in the top nine groups has been offered a first jab.

The UK government and ministers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have all agreed to follow the schedule recommended by the JCVI.

In England, there is a legal duty on ministers to implement the recommendations of the JCVI for new vaccination programmes "so far as is reasonably practicable".

Labour's strategists know how difficult it is to "cut through" in a crisis when government action - or lack of it - will almost always dominate the headlines.

So perhaps there is a recognition that criticising the slowness of the government response will have to be more regularly augmented by ideas of their own.

But they will know now - if they didn't before - that this leaves them open to counter-attack, and significant scrutiny.

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Asked on Friday whether he agreed with Sir Keir's proposal, Mr Drakeford told BBC Radio 5 Live: "If the JCVI tells us that we should move teachers or other professional groups up the priority order, that is what we will do.

"But while the JCVI tells us that the right thing to do is to focus on the nine top priority groups for vaccination, that is what we will do.

"We follow the advice of our expert committee. That's what you have to do when you're in government."

Labour has argued vaccinating teachers could help reopen schools, which are due to remain closed to most pupils in England until 8 March at the earliest.

The Welsh Government has said some primary school children could begin a phased return to classrooms from 22 February - just after half term - if Covid cases continue to fall.

Sir Keir's spokesman said Labour recognised the JCVI would have to approve their teacher vaccination plan, but wanted the body to also consider a "societal point of view".

They added this was in line with the view expressed by NHS England Chief Executive Sir Simon Stevens, who recently said there was a "legitimate discussion" to be had about the early vaccination of key workers.

Gavin Williamson, the education secretary for England, has said vaccinating those who work in schools should be a "top priority" in the "next wave" of the programme.