Boris bows to Tory fury by 'abandoning compulsory Covid passports in England' as he prepares to axe key powers when he unveils 'winter plan' to dodge fresh lockdowns
- Boris Johnson is set to set out the Government's winter Covid plan next week
- He is reluctant to impose further lockdowns and wants to focus on vaccines
- The Prime Minister is expected to say vaccines will be the first line of defence
- Imposing of restrictions on events are also set to be abandoned in the Covid plan
Boris Johnson is set to appease angry Tories this week by scrapping plans for compulsory Covid passports in England.
The PM is expected to abandon the controversial idea for nightclubs and major events when he unveils the government's 'winter plan' on Tuesday.
The proposals had come under intense fire from Conservative MPs as 'unsupportable, coercive and discriminatory' last week.
He will also scrap some of the swinging powers that the government took to manage the response to the disease, and all-but rule out further lockdowns to control an anticipated surge over the coming months - after scientists said vaccinations can be an effective first line of defence.
A booster jab programme could begin as early as this month, while other measures in the 'toolbox' for tackling outbreaks will include masks.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid gave a strong hint that mandatory Covid passports will not go ahead as he stressed rising vaccination rates and said it would only happen if there is 'no alternative'.
'I hope we can avoid it,' he told Sky News.
The decision would draw another dividing line within the UK, as Nicola Sturgeon has insisted that a certification scheme will be launched in Scotland from October 1.
Ministers were sent out to defend the Covid passports proposals last week, with Nadhim Zahawi insisting they were the right thing to do even though he admitted they 'went against everything I believe in'.
The Sunday Times said under the U-turn firms and venues who are already demanding proof of vaccination will be allowed to continue to do so, but they will not be any legal obligation.
Speculation has been mounting over what increased measures may be brought in this winter, a high-risk time for coronavirus as other respiratory illnesses.
Mr Johnson hopes to avoid locking down the entire country and will send a message by repealling some of the Government's powers to shut down sections of the economy in England under the Coronavirus Act.
Mr Johnson said: 'Thanks to the efforts of the public, the NHS and our phenomenal vaccination programme, we reached Step 4 in our road map and life has returned to a sense of normality.
'These extraordinary times required necessary but intrusive measures. But I'm determined to get rid of any powers we no longer need because of our vaccine defences.
'I will set out the next phase in our Covid response shortly.'
The powers expected to be repealed include those allowing the closing down of the economy, the imposing of restrictions on events, the power to temporarily close or restrict access to schools, and powers to detain infectious people.
The Government expects the independent Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI) to recommend details of a jab booster programme next week.
The focus on vaccination in the Covid winter plan comes after claims ministers were considering a so-called firebreak lockdown in October.
An unnamed member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said a 'precautionary break' could be part of 'contingency plans', the i newspaper reported.
But Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'I don't think that's something we need to consider.'
He said no decisions are 'risk-free' but insisted the 'best defence' against another wave of the virus is the vaccine programme.
Downing Street denied the Government is planning a lockdown or firebreak around the October half-term.
But the spokesman added that they have 'retained contingency plans as part of responsible planning for a range of scenarios'.
They said: 'These kind of measures would only be reintroduced as a last resort to prevent unsustainable pressure on our NHS.'
There are plans in place to begin giving booster jabs to the most vulnerable as early as this month, as more than 65 per cent of the entire UK population have been fully vaccinated.