More than 1,200 church ministers in the UK have urged PM Boris Johnson not to introduce coronavirus vaccine certificates, saying they are an “unethical form of coercion”.
In an open letter, Anglican and Catholic ministers warned passports could create a “surveillance state”.
HM’s Government is looking into whether people should have to prove they have been vaccinated with a form of Vaccination ID or proof.
In a major U-Turn in policy, ‘vaccination certificates’ could play a role in reopening theatres, nightclubs and mass events like festivals, plus allow social distancing to be relaxed in hospitality venues, the government has claimed.
But in the letter to the prime minister, church ministers warned that introducing the passports would create a “medical apartheid”.
“This scheme has the potential to bring about the end of liberal democracy as we know it and to create a surveillance state in which the government uses technology to control certain aspects of citizens’ lives,” the letter states.
“As such, this constitutes one of the most dangerous policy proposals ever to be made in the history of British politics.”
The church leaders have said that, regardless of the government’s final decision, they would not refuse entry to their churches to anybody without a vaccine passport – or any other certificate which they have labelled “proof of health”.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was “very worried” vaccine passports could lead to discrimination against people who have not received a jab.
Conservative MP Steve Baker labelled such certificates a “ghastly trap” that unfairly penalise those advised not to have a vaccine.
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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