Quote Originally Posted by the_idiotb_stardson View Post
In favour of covid passports Kerr?

Curious to know?

Also interested in legal issues enforcing it.

Realise that is a huge question but a precis of your legal understanding would be appreciated.
I am generally opposed to the concept of domestic vaccine passports.

I think it unrealistic to expect pub landlords and cinema operators etc. to police them. In addition, I suspect that any technological solution will prove impossibly clunky and any paper solution will simply spawn an industry in forgeries.

I am also unhappy with the concept. We are a country that still believes in government by consent. Whatever the opinion polls are telling the government, I don't think that large swathes of the public would accept having their freedoms curtailed unless they could see a very good reason for doing so, which they increasingly won't do as the vaccine roll out slashes the covid death toll.

I would be surprised if the government could get the necessary legislation through parliament. The Tories are naturally suspicious of goverment interference in personal freedoms and there would be a significant rebellion against any attempt to push the required measures through. The Lib Dems will vote against. It would come down to whether Labour would be willing to make a stand. That being said, a six month extension to the Coronavirus Act powers made it through, which surprised me. The Lib Dems voted againat that and Labour should have pushed for a shorter extension as a condition for their support.

If they are introduced, I suspect that domestic vaccine passports could prove to be Johnson's poll tax moment, whch might not be a bad thing for the country.

Of course it doesnt really matter what we do if other countries make vaccine passports an entry condition.