Maajid Nawaz destroys Tony Blair's proposal for domestic vaccine passports

6 June 2021, 14:48

Maajid Nawaz takes down Tony Blair's insistence on vaccine passports

By Seán Hickey

The introduction of domestic vaccine passports will lead to a two-tier society where ethnic minorities are disproportionately discriminated against, Maajid Nawaz fears.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has today claimed that the UK should start to 'distinguish' between those who have and haven't been vaccinated against Covid-19. He argues that in doing so, freedoms will be restored to more Brits faster than initially scheduled.

Maajid Nawaz refuted the suggestions of Mr Blair, worrying that "it is inescapable" that he is "arguing for a two-tier society."

He added that a low trust in Government – especially in ethnic minority communities – would lead to further scepticism and segregation of these communities.

"There are multiple examples for why ethnic minority communities are suspicious," Maajid noted.

He went on to predict the outcome of introducing mandatory passes: "Not only will you create a two-tier society whereby the unvaccinated are discriminated against," he suggested that minorities will be disproportionately discriminated against.

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Maajid insisted that "education and reaching out with empathy" will go much further to encouraging people to be vaccinated than forcing people with the threat of losing freedoms.

"If you make it mandatory...that collective memory will be resurrected because you're telling people 'you must do this or else there'll be consequences." He feared that a mandatory policy "only increases skepticism."

Taking aim at Mr Blair, Maajid reference the former PM's track record by noting that he has lied to the British public in the past "under the guise of the war on terror."

"Precedents, once they are set, are very difficult to undo."