Eddie Mair challenges pub chain chief who insists jab passports 'won't work'

25 March 2021, 18:25 | Updated: 30 March 2021, 07:54

Young's Pub chief says 'vaccine passports won't work'

By Fiona Jones

Eddie Mair questions Young's Pubs chain chief Patrick Dardis after he claims the measure of presenting vaccine passports on entry to pubs and restaurants "won't work."

There has been backlash over this suggestion, which Boris Johnson made while being grilled by MPs on the Commons Liaison Committee.

Publican Mr Dardis said the potential measure "has got Michael Gove's paw prints all over it, hence the confusion that the Prime Minister has got."

He likened it to previous Covid measures the substantial meal ruling and the curfew: "I'm not sure any of this was thought out and I'm not sure the vaccine passport has been thought out."

"Certainly passports won't work, if you just think of the technical ability that we've got, for example Track and Trace. That, despite billions being spent on it, just doesn't work."

Pub 'vaccine passports' could be considered after everyone offer a jab

"The fact is, vaccine rollout has been done by age, eldest first, youngest last. Therefore if it was introduced you'd be discriminating against two-thirds of the people who work in the hospitality and pub sector, and the brewing sector, which employ 1 in 6 of every job in the UK."

Eddie questioned if Mr Dardis was therefore implying that there are no advantages to having the vaccine, as the difficulties of practicalities all would be allowed in establishments regardless.

Mr Dardis rebutted: "The reality is we've got 28 million vaccines, first doses, 30 million combined for first and second doses. By June 21...the vast majority will be vaccinated.

"So we will know by then that a small percentage of the population won't be vaccinated."