LABOUR was needed to prop up the Conservative Government’s Plan B Covid measures following the biggest Tory backbench rebellion since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister.

Tonight, MP’s from both sides of the political divide in the region have been explaining the reasons behind their votes.

Almost 100 Tory MPs defied the whip and voted against Mr Johnson on the issue of the passes for large venues, which have also been known as vaccine passports.

Dehenna Davison, who represents the Bishop Auckland constituency, said she was unable to support them, but admitted she is ‘not comfortable’ voting against her Government.

She said: “In the face of a deadly global pandemic, it was right for the Government to step in, both to protect public health, but also to support businesses and jobs through a period of economic turmoil.

“I am deeply concerned about what opening the door to vaccine passports may lead to.

“First nightclubs, then what? Talk of a supposed “Plan C” suggests introducing them next for pubs and restaurants too."

The Northern Echo:

Dehenna Davison 

She said: "We need to be realistic about Omicron. Let us not take the slippery slope to lockdown “just in case”. The wider societal impacts could be catastrophic.

“Millions of people have made huge sacrifices over the past two years, particularly last Christmas. Let’s not plunge them into another Christmas of Covid misery.”

Read more: MPs approve mandatory use of Covid passes in England

Some 96 Conservative MPs voted against the Covid pass regulations for England.

Two Tory MPs also acted as tellers for the noes.

While 369 MPs backed the move, giving a majority of 243.

MPs have also voted 385 to 100, majority 285, to approve regulations to require NHS and social care staff to be vaccinated by April 2022.

The vote to widen the use of facemasks in public area was won by 441 to 41.

The Northern Echo:

Matt Vickers 

Stockton South MP Matt Vickers, who said he opposed the new legislation, was unable to vote as he is self-isolating following a positive Covid test.

The Northern Echo:

Paul Howell

Paul Howell, who represents the Sedgefield constituency and backed the Plan B proposals, said: “I do not see an issue with increased mask wearing in shops and on transport, this is a minor short-term inconvenience that is worth it; when it comes to the so-called vaccine passport then the approach of allowing a lateral flow test as an option for access to large events is an appropriate alternate to needing to be vaccinated.

“The change between isolation and daily testing is actually a relaxing of restrictions.

“Seeing these as a whole then I believe the inconvenience is worth the gain. “Hopefully this gives us the extra help needed and this will be as far as we need to go and as winter progresses, we can start to think of releasing again.”

The Northern Echo:

Peter Gibson 

Darlington MP Peter Gibson, another of the so-called Red Wall Tories elected under Boris Johnson’s manifesto in 2019, was also loyal to the Prime Minister.

He said: “The Omicron variant is very infectious. As the spread is so rapid, it seems sensible to introduce measures that will help reduce that.

“As the Health Secretary outlined yesterday there are 200,000 daily infections and Omicron is set to become the dominant strain in the UK over the coming weeks.

“We have been free of restrictions since July and these measures are, in my view, reasonable and proportionate steps to help our fight.”

The Northern Echo:

Kevan Jones 

North Durham MP Kevan Jones, one of the Labour members who helped the Government win this evening’s vote, said controlling the spread of the virus must be the priority.

He said: “Vaccinations are the key to this and that’s why it is vital everyone should have their vaccination and the booster jabs.

“Public Health messages need to be clear and consistent for people to have faith in them, the actions of the PM and the Government recently have undermined that task.

“The proposal in the Government's Plan B does not suggest vaccination passports which as be reported but rather individuals will have to show either their vaccinated status or proof of a negative lateral flow test to access larger gathering.

“I know these measures will be unpopular with some but if they assist along with vaccination in reducing the spread of the virus, they will be worth the short-term inconvenience.”

The Northern Echo:

Mary Foy

Labour MP for Durham City Mary Foy was unable to vote as she is self-isolating, but she has pointed she would have voted for wider use of face coverings in public.

She said would have voted against the compulsory vaccinations for health workers as well as the introduction of vaccine passports.

She said: “I want to be clear that I am not abstaining on this issue and, in the interests of accountability and transparency, I wanted to clearly set out to my constituents how I would have voted on each of the new measures being brought before parliament today.”

Other measures under the Government’s Plan B also cleared the Commons, but the vote on Covid passes will be seen as a blow to Mr Johnson’s authority after a challenging week for the PM.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the 1922 Committee said a leadership challenge next year had “got to be on the cards” if the PM did not change his approach.

Before Tuesday, the biggest rebellion Mr Johnson had faced was in December 2020, against the strengthening of Covid-19 tier restrictions in England.

Then, a total of 55 Conservative MPs voted against the Government. This includes the two MPs who acted as tellers for the noes.

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