MPs vote to extend Covid powers for a further six months, despite Tory rebellion

• Europe’s ‘Anglo-Saxon’ phobia is proving deadly

• PM warns EU that vaccine ban targeting the UK will backfire

• Covid latest news: Virus infections highest in under-20s as cases fall in all adult age groups

• UK needs vaccine imports from Europe to hit second jab targets, Ursula von der Leyen tells EU

• UK stuck with BBC licence fee until 2038, say MPs

MPs have voted to extend the emergency provisions in the Coronavirus Act to October, despite opposition from several Tory backbenchers and the Liberal Democrats.

The vote means that emergency powers, like the ability of police to force people to receive coronavirus tests, will remain in law.

Several MPs including Steve Baker, Mark Harper, Sir Christopher Chope, Sir Charles Walker and Alistair Carmichael spoke against the measures, but the extension passed by 484 to 76 votes.

The debate came as Matt Hancock admitted he cannot guarantee the legislation will be retired in six months.

The Health Secretary said the Coronavirus Act must be retired "within one year and preferably within six months".

But he added: "I cannot answer whether we will be retiring it in six months. My preference would be yes, but given the last year, I think a prediction would be hasty."

Sir Charles Walker said "as sure as eggs are eggs" MPs will be asked to renew legislation again at the end of September.

"It is inevitable and anyone who thinks it is not inevitable is deluding themselves," the 1922 vice-chairman added.

05:23 PM

That's all from us

We're going to leave the politics live blog there for today, but we'll be back in the morning with all the latest from Westminster.

In the meantime, you can read our top politics stories of the day:

• UK needs vaccine imports from Europe to hit second jab targets, says Von der Leyen

• ​People who have recovered from Covid could be allowed into pubs under passport scheme

• ​Labour set to back new tax raid on highest earning Scots

We asked you...

Our daily poll asked: Should pubs be allowed to decide on vaccine passports?

• 56 per cent said no, it's discriminatory and it should not happen at all.

• 35 per cent said yes, the risk appetite should be down to the business.

• 9 per cent said if it has to happen, the Government must enforce it.

See you tomorrow morning.

05:16 PM

Coronavirus Act extended to October

MPs have voted to extend the Coronavirus Act by by 484 to 76 votes.

05:03 PM

MPs vote on extension of the Coronavirus Act

The Deputy Speaker has called a division and MPs are now voting on whether to extend the provisions of the Coronavirus Act to October.

04:52 PM

Northern Ireland will use UK red list

Northern Ireland is set to adopt the UK's coronavirus red list of countries, First Minister Arlene Foster has said.

Brazil and South Africa are on the current red list of countries from which entry to the UK is banned.

The Stormont Executive also heard that work is ongoing on hotel quarantine plans for travellers arriving from abroad.

There are currently no international flights landing in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Foster welcomed "improvements across all indicators", in terms of Covid-19.

The R-rate for cases of the virus is currently estimated at between 0.75 and 0.95.

04:29 PM

Sir Graham Brady: Act risks 'normalising' restrictions on liberty

Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee, says the "danger of what is being proposed is we risk normalising an extreme policy response".

He points out that only two people have spoken in this debate in total favour of continuing the lockdown measures contained in the Act.

"We should expect if the Government is given powers then it will seek to retain them [...] the danger is that the Government starts to believe that these fundamental civil liberties belong to ministers to grant to us or withhold."

04:18 PM

Vaccine passports are the thin end of the wedge, says Lib Dem MP

Alistair Carmichael, a Liberal Democrat MP, says 252 people have been charged under the Coronavirus Act since it was first implemented, and not one person has been prosecuted.

"It is always going to be the the case that when you give a Government power, they want to hold onto it," he says.

Mr Carmichael goes on to say the Government should abandon any plans to require vaccine passports, which he describes as the "thin end of a very thick wedge".

"If it is okay to force people to carry a piece of paper or a card to confirm their health status in relation to this particular virus [...] where does it take you?" he asks.

"Is it going to be okay to carry a piece of paper according to some future Government that confirms that you are HIV negative?"

04:12 PM

Mark Harper: I will vote against the continuation of 'egregious' measures

The co-chair of the Covid Recovery Group, Mark Harper, has said he will vote against the extension of powers in the Coronavirus Act until October.

"There are many measures in that Act, which I think are egregious and are absolutely not supported," he said.

"And given that we have an up or down vote - we don't have any ability to amend - you have to balance these things.

"For me, I'm going to vote against the renewing of those temporary provisions because I think the measures that the Government wants to take forward are sufficiently bad and unwarranted that they don't deserve to continue.

"It's not going to, but if the Government were to lose that vote tonight, given that the Government has a majority, it would easily be able to implement the more sensible measures that I do think are necessary in an alternative piece of legislation that would no doubt be able to get through this house with cross party and almost universal support."

03:59 PM

More than half a million Covid vaccines given out yesterday

Vaccinations are still showing no sign of slowing down yet, with more than half a million given out across the UK yesterday.

In England alone there were 275,881 first doses and 208,013 second doses given.

Some 28,991,188 people have now had their first jab, equivalent to 43.4 per cent of the population.

Even among the under-50s, the numbers are looking good with 22 per cent receiving a Covid jab so far.

03:52 PM

Covid act 'extreme, unnecessary and disproportionate', says Steve Baker

Steve Baker has said he will vote against renewing the Covid act today, saying it is "extreme, unnecessary and disproportionate".

He regretted that his amendment, removing some of the powers that have not been used, had not been selected, saying he felt confident it would have garnered support from several colleagues.

The former minister tells the Commons: "I will have to vote against the Government tonight, as the act is extreme, unnecessary and disproportionate."

He added it was "absolutely imperative that we should get this House of Commons back", but stressed it must be "in line" with the roadmap.

"We should not exempt ourselves from the inconvenience suffered by the public," he added.

03:42 PM

Former minister 'resents' six-month extension to Covid laws

Dr Liam Fox has said he "resents" having to vote for a six-month extension to the emergency Covid laws, and said this must be addressed for future crises.

The former defence secretary, who is writing a book on pandemics, told the Commons that while he will vote with the Government today "they are out of step" with the roadmap and the principles of Conservatism. But there was "no alternative, given the legislative position we find ourselves".

He added: "I think we need to ensure - because this will, or a similar situation will happen again in the future - that we do not allow such long time periods for the Government to hold emergency powers without the House of Commons being able to review them on a regular basis."

He also took aim at the plans to bring in vaccine passports for pubs, saying this "would be completely unacceptable in a country where civil liberties are held so highly". The private sector should be allowed to decide, he adds.

"If they choose to have particular customers in particular ways, that is up to them... We can't pick and choose which freedoms we choose to protect."

03:34 PM

Have your say: Should pubs have the right to ask for vaccine passports?

Boris Johnson put the cat among the pigeons yesterday afternoon, when he suggested that "individual publicans" might decide whether to demand vaccine passports from their customers.

This morning he stressed that any such scheme would not be in force when pubs begin outdoor service from April 12, but he added: "I do think there is going to be a role for certification."

The industry has warned that any such move would create tension between businesses and their customers, was likely discriminatory and "impossible" to implement, while Tory backbenchers have warned it will create a "two-tier Britain" in which those who have not had the jab for reasons outside their control will be barred from society.

However, with a third wave rising in Europe and the threat of variants never far, it might be the only way to keep the economy open.

So should vaccine passports be used in pubs? Have your say in the poll below.

03:24 PM

UK should 'be generous and avoid vaccine nationalism', senior Tory says

The UK should "seek to be generous and avoid vaccine nationalism", a senior Tory has said.

Sir Bernard Jenkin said the UK should donate some doses "even if it means given up some of the flow of our vaccine".

He notes that there are "actually some very large quantities" in the EU, and that politicians "have trashed the reputation" of AstraZeneca.

This is "unforgiveable in health terms," he adds.

"However much the EU might casting around for blame and trying to salvage their reputation from the failure of their own programmes, we can draw comfort from the fact that they are resorting to possible bans and blockades because they have no contractual obligations to enforce on AstraZeneca," he tells MPs.

03:22 PM

Third wave is just a question of 'how large', says senior Tory

Sir Bernard Jenkin takes a very different tone to Sir Desmond Swayne, saying the threat of a third wave is very real.

"In fact, there will be a third wave - it's just a question of how large it is going to be," he adds.

The question is how protected the population will be, noting that even with strong uptake and high efficacy, just "72 per cent of half of the population who have had it" are protected.

The liaison committee chairman says restrictions on travel, particularly from the Continent, and an increase in testing is required to lower the risks of new variants.

And the number of first doses could slow to 50,000 a week because of supply constraints and the move towards second doses, he notes.

03:14 PM

Sir Desmond Swayne attacks 'tyrannical habit' of Covid restrictions

Sir Desmond Swayne has attacked the "habit of inhumane policies" that have "trickled down" to the general public, highlighting the case of a constituent who this morning was denied the company of her husband as she suffered a miscarriage.

"Tyranny is a habit, and the motions on the order paper this evening show we haven't quite kicked the habit", he adds. "We were told they were there purely for temporary purposes to deal with the emergency - well by any measure, the emergency is over and the hugely successful vaccination campaign is the guarantee against its return.

"And yet, the Government seeks to retain those powers, to control aspects of our lives, together with the punishment regime for those who disobey."

He says "after months of denial" we now know that people will be expected to show their "vaccine bone fides" to go to a pub, saying even tee totallers can "dream on" if they think they will escape, because it will be extended to restaurants, theatres and sports events.

The Conservative MP then turns on colleagues who "ring their hands" after voting for "oppressive legislation". MPs who vote for the measures "should reflect clearly on what it is they are wishing for".

03:03 PM

UK needs vaccine imports from Europe to hit second jab targets, Ursula von der Leyen tells EU

The UK needs European Union imports to ensure 26 million Britons can have their second shot of the coronavirus vaccine, Ursula von der Leyen has told EU leaders.

The European Commission president ordered briefings of ambassadors to highlight the UK's dependency on supplies from the Continent before Thursday's summit, where divided leaders are expected to withhold explicit backing for a ban amid fears it could spark a vaccines trade war.

The Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and Spain are fearful that any ban could lead to retaliation from Britain, which exports raw materials to the EU’s Pfizer plant in Belgium.

Mrs von der Leyen dispatched her internal market commissioner Thierry Breton to drum up support for her plan to strongarm Britain by making clear the UK was in a far weaker position than the EU.

Read James Crisp's article in full here.

02:58 PM

Senior Tory attacks 'back of the fag packet' approach to pub vaccine passports

William Wragg has said he will be volunteering as a car park marshal at his local vaccine centre because of his enthusiasm for the "miraculous" jab during recess week.

But the PACAC committee chairman attacks the "back of the fag packet-esque approach to this whole question of Covid vaccine certification", after Boris Johnson told him they might be used for pubs yesterday.

"As the Conservative party we might actually think of what we believe in as a part and not let ourselves get carried away by a utilitarian urge that seems to have swept across the Treasury bench, leaving very few standing."

He called for "freedoms as citizens" to be restored as soon as possible.

02:52 PM

Further 73 Covid deaths registered in England

A further 73 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 86,053, NHS England said on Thursday.

Patients were aged between 34 and 101 and all except five (aged between 60 and 86) had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between March 30 last year and March 24 this year, with the majority being after March 18 2021.

The Midlands was the worst-affected region, with 17 deaths registered, followed by the North West, with 16 deaths, and the North East & Yorkshire, with 13 deaths.

There were 10 deaths in the East of England, eight in the South East, five in London and four in the South West.

02:46 PM

Covid laws will be renewed in six months 'as sure as eggs are eggs', says Sir Charles Walker

Sir Charles Walker has said "as sure as eggs are eggs" MPs will be asked to renew legislation again at the end of September.

"It is inevitable and anyone who thinks it is not inevitable is deluding themselves," he tells his colleagues. "But I am not here to talk about eggs - I am here to talk about milk."

Milk will "represent my protest", he says, adding: "For the next few days I am going to walk around London with a pint of milk about my person." Others may do likewise, protesting various different things ranging from anxiety and depression to the lack of agency in their life, or a loss of career, he says.

"Maybe they will be protesting this country's slide into authoritarianism, or perhaps they will be protesting the fact we allow unelected officials to have lecterns at Number 10 to tell us how to live our lives," he adds. "The point is these people can project what they like - what concern they have - onto their pint of milk."

He concludes by noting that "the act of protest is a freedom, not a right, and unless you cherish freedoms every day, they end being taken away from you".

02:20 PM

Matt Hancock says he can't predict whether Covid law will be extended again

Matt Hancock has said he cannot predict whether the Coronavirus Act will be retired in six months or rolled on.

Former minister and Conservative MP Steve Brine noted that Boris Johnson's explanation for the need to extend powers for six months was to deal with the backlogs in the NHS, courts and education.

He added: "Now in six months' time, will we need that? Will we have therefore dealt with the backlog in the health service and in the courts? Or will he be needing to renew this again in six months?"

The Health Secretary replied: "There are parts of this Act that have allowed us to do good things that everybody would like to see like that, and so when we do come to retire this Act, which we must within one year and preferably within six months, we will need to make sure that we can continue to do that sort of thing and make sure that nurses can be enrolled as easily as possible into the NHS.

"But I cannot answer whether we will be retiring it in six months. My preference would be yes, but given the last year, I think a prediction would be hasty."

02:11 PM

Draconian powers required to keep new variants 'pinned down', says Matt Hancock

Matt Hancock has defended the ongoing use of police powers to detain potentially infectious people, saying they may be required if there is a new variant that "needs to be pinned down".

The Health Secretary was challenged by Mark Harper about the "extraordinary provisions" and the fact they may be extended yet again.

But Mr Hancock said having "very targeted interventions is important and therefore we have made the judgement now to propose they are necessary for now".

He noted that this had been successfully done in Liverpool "because of fantastic local work", but it would get harder as restrictions were lifted.

"By voting against all of these renewals, there are a whole load of valuable things that he and I actually agree on that would not be renewed were that to go through."

02:03 PM

Government aims to be 'completely open' on vaccine data, says Matt Hancock

Matt Hancock said that the Government wants to be "completely open and transparent" about vaccines.

Conservative MP William Wragg - who has been critical of the Government over transparency during the pandemic - asked for data on how many people have died from Covid three weeks after receiving their first dose of the Covid vaccine.

The Health Secretary said it was "rare", adding: "These data are published by the MHRA and if there's any data in this area that are not published, but he would like to publish, then if he writes to me I'd be very happy to look into publishing those further data.

"Because essentially we've taken the attitude of being as transparent as possible because there are side effects to vaccine, as there are to all pharmaceutical drugs, and we want to be completely open and transparent about those essentially to reassure people that the risks are extremely low."

02:00 PM

Matt Hancock: Goal is to manage Covid risk through 'personal responsibility'

Matt Hancock has said his goal is to manage the risk of Covid through "personal responsibility".

Greg Clark, the chair of the science and technology committee, asked the Health Secretary what level of hospitalisations "would be consistent with protecting the NHS".

Mr Hancock said it is "very hard to know in advance", noting that there were 38,000 people in hospital with Covid at the peak, which meant elective treatment had to be delayed.

He notes that in a bad flu season that also happens, and it will have to happen again if there is another increase in Covid cases.

"If we have earned anything in the last year we have learned that we have to live with risk as a society - that is a reality," he says.

The goal is to expand NHS capacity, and ensure the "continued efforts people will take personal responsibility for" to manage Covid long-term.

01:56 PM

'Optimistic' Matt Hancock says there are still 'causes for caution'

Over in the Commons, Matt Hancock added that the Government's goal "is to be cautious yet irreversible".

The Health Secretary told MPs that "while I am still by nature an optimist, there remain causes for caution.

"Cases are rising in some areas and they are rising among those under 18. There are early signs of cases flattening among the working age population too," he added.

Praising the UK's high vaccine uptake, Mr Hancock said: "While we are confident that we have broken the link between the number of cases and the hospitalisations and deaths that previously inevitably followed, no vaccine is perfect and take-up isn't 100 per cent.

"So that link while broken is not yet severed. New variants also remain a risk because we don't yet know with confidence the impact of the vaccine against the new variants."

01:50 PM

AstraZeneca 'does not cherish exactitude', claims MEP

A senior MEP has claimed that AstraZeneca has a "corporate culture that does not cherish exactitude and throughness as some of their competitors do".

Phillipe Lamberts told Sky News the pharma firm was "not delivering according to schedule and has a track record of blending clinical test data".

He added that AstraZeneca had only started "decommitting to the UK last week and decommitting to the EU since December," saying "that is not equal treatment".

Challenged over whether his gripes were with the giant because it was a British firm, he said the journalist was "obsessed" with its nationality.

"I merely point to a company that doesn't seem to be run in the same way as some of its competitors are," he added. "I don't care about its nationality."

AstraZeneca has been contacted for a comment about his claims.

01:33 PM

MEP questions AstraZeneca's claim about supplying vaccines at cost

A senior MEP has raised questions about the claim that AstraZeneca is providing vaccines at cost, saying "unless you have real access to their books you won't be able to tell", as he accused the pharma giant of 'mistreating' the EU.

Phillipe Lamberts told Sky News: "Obviously they are treating the EU as a customer not worth respect, that is obvious.

"I am not saying they treat all their customers that way. The British Government [have not] been mistreated, but certainly the EU has been mistreated."

He claimed "AstraZeneca sold the house once, then sold it the day after to someone else".

Pressed over his implication that AstraZeneca was profiteering, he added: "They claim to sell at cost, but unless you have real access to their books you won't be able to tell. You basically have to swallow whatever they tell you."

01:26 PM

AstraZeneca 'should have been upfront' about delays to vaccine doses, says MEP

AstraZeneca should have "been upfront" about the EU's place in the queue for vaccine doses, a senior MEP has said.

Philippe Lamberts, a Belgian member of Ecolo, within the Greens–European Free Alliance, rejected suggestions that the delay was because the EU had been slow to sign a contract, telling Sky News: "If you have ordered a fridge and it doesn't come, it's not your fault.

"I am not sure the EU was last to order - the two contracts were separated by one day."

He added that AstraZeneca was "very happy there was no delay in supplying the money - but very happy putting delays on delivering their stuff.

If they didn't want to do business with the EU, they should have been upfront about it, but they never said that - never, never!"

01:20 PM

Lobby latest: No 10 dodges questions about whether UK will share vaccines with EU

No 10 said it was "not going to get into supply chain details" when asked whether the UK was prepared to share domestically produced vaccine doses with Brussels in order to solve the ongoing supply row.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the spike in cases in Europe demonstrated the need to work on an international basis to "defeat this pandemic".

He told reporters: "I would point to the fact we are continuing to work closely with the EU.

"As our (joint) statement said, we are all facing the same pandemic and the third wave makes co-operation between the EU and UK even more important.

"As I say, we will continue to work with the EU in terms of the short, medium and long-term steps we may be able to take to expand vaccine supply for everyone, not just here but across the world as well."

01:19 PM

Lobby latest: No 10 dodges questions about shift on vaccine passports

Downing Street has refused to say whether the Government is inclined towards leaving individual publicans to decide whether to require vaccine passports, despite Boris Johnson's suggestion yesterday.

Pressed on whether the Government intended to leave it up to pub landlords as to whether they ask for proof of vaccination from customers, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said he did not want to "pre-empt the outcome" of the review into vaccine passports.

Asked why ministers appeared to be rowing back from previous statements that the policy could be discriminatory, the No 10 spokesman said: "We stressed at the time of publishing the road map about the important role testing or vaccination could play in reopening the economy, so that work continues."

01:17 PM

Lobby latest: Review into passports for pubs will not conclude until June

Downing Street said there would be an "initial update" on the progress of the review into coronavirus vaccination passports next month, but a full report was still due by June.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters: "We set out when we published the road map our review into Covid status certification and we made clear at the time we would be looking at testing or vaccination in terms of the role either of them could play in reopening our economy.

"As we've said before, the CDL (Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove) is leading that work and it will be completed ahead of step four, which is June 21.

"But as the PM said this morning, you can expect an initial update in early April."

He added: "As we said at the time, the review will consider all the ethical, privacy, legal and operational aspects of this approach and that work is ongoing."

01:08 PM

Jean-Claude Juncker blasts EU over 'stupid vaccine war'

Jean-Claude Juncker has railed against the European Union for waging a "stupid vaccine war" with Britain.

The former president of the European Commission said he was "not a fan" of Ursula von der Leyen's threat of an export ban, warning it would "create major reputational damage" for the EU.

"We used to be the world's free trade champion," he said. "We have to pull back from a vaccine war.

"We have special relations with Britain, there's room for dialogue... Nobody in Britain, nobody in Europe understands why we are witnessing such a stupid vaccine war. What the EU is asking for cannot be dealt with in a war atmosphere.

"We are not in war and we are not enemies - we are allies."

He added: "I don't understand this [EU] temptation to fight against Britain, and the British temptation to fight against the EU. Let's discuss it amongst adult people. What is the image we're giving?'"

01:03 PM

Lobby latest: Boris Johnson to give debut from £2.6m media room next week

Boris Johnson's £2.6m White House-style media briefing room has been completed and will be the home of all future press conferences from next week, Downing Street has said.

The Prime Minister will make his debut on Monday, his official spokesman confirmed.

"Work on the briefing room in No 9 Downing Street is now complete, so going forward all future coronavirus press conferences will take place over in No 9," he added.

Boris Johnson's press secretary Allegra Stratton said the Government still planned to go ahead with daily televised briefings.

She said: "Yes, we are but we just don't know yet when. It is all about hitting milestones in the road map."

12:54 PM

Tory backbenchers demand answers over six-month extension to Covid laws

Mark Harper has said he will be challenging the Government over why ministers are planning to extend emergency Covid powers until October.

The Covid Recovery Group boss said: "I haven't heard a single good answer about why the Government wishes to do that, given the Prime Minister has said he wants to be out of all our legal restrictions by June."

The Forest of Dean MP also told Sky News he will challenge the speed of the roadmap itself.

Watch his interview below.

12:45 PM

Government urged to keep face masks in schools after Easter

There is not enough evidence to support removing face masks in classrooms after Easter, the leader of the UK's largest teaching union has said.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said face coverings should remain in secondary schools "until the science says that it's safe to remove them".

Secondary school pupils are being advised to wear face coverings wherever social distancing cannot be maintained, including in class, but the Government has said the measure will be reviewed at Easter.

Mr Courtney said: "We're worried that with only two weeks' data, or two and a bit weeks' data, it's not safe to make that decision right now and therefore to say remove them after Easter."

He added: "It's really important that we get every mitigation in place that we can to try and stop cases spreading in schools. Ventilation is going to get easier as the weather warms, but we really need to work on ventilation. We would be in favour of continuing mask wearing until it is clear that we don't need mask wearing."

12:32 PM

Minister defends rights of women as DUP hit out over abortion powers

Brandon Lewis has highlighted the plight of "vulnerable" pregnant women as he justified the UK Government's decision to introduce new powers around abortion services in Northern Ireland.

The Cabinet minister told the Commons : "It is unacceptable that there are women and girls in parts of the United Kingdom that cannot access these fundamental rights as they can elsewhere in the UK."

But DUP MP Carla Lockhart said the UK Government's introduction of new powers compelling Stormont to implement abortion laws breaches the Belfast Agreement.

That was echoed by DUP Westminster leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who said that it should not be for Westminster to "impose its views in breach of the devolution settlement".

12:16 PM

Vaccine passport for pubs 'not viable', says former minister

A former minister has said she does not believe it would be "viable" to have legislation for Covid vaccine passports to go to the pub.

Harriet Baldwin said it was "not a good thing" that powers would extend beyond the end of June, when restrictions are expected to be fully lifted, but the main concern was little-used but "very wide" powers.

Tory backbenchers have "particular concerns" about renewing powers that allow police officers to detain people they believe to be infected with Covid, she told Sky News.

Asked about vaccine passports for pubs, she noted that had not been tabled for MPs to vote on, but said: "I can't see them being viable".

See what the Prime Minister had to say on the matter in the video below.

11:59 AM

Former EU commissioner attacks 'lack of equilibrium' on vaccine supplies

A former EU trade commissioner has said the flow of vaccine supplies from the EU to the UK without recriprocity was "a flagrant lack of equilibrium".

Karel De Gucht said the bloc was seeking its "fair part of the vaccine", and rejected suggestions that the row was caused by the difference in when contracts were signed.

"It's not purely technical, it's also about the type of contracts you make," he told Sky News. "We followed the rules of public procurement, but we cannot be the ones to produce all the vaccines and see they go to others. Nobody would accept that."

He rejected suggestions that the EU was stockpiling vaccines while the rollout had been slowed by hesitancy, exacerbated by comments made by European leaders such as President Macron.

11:53 AM

'Covid babies' reinforces need to prioritise early years investment, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson said the pandemic had highlighted the need to invest in children's early years, after he had been "talking to some babies".

Speaking at the Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery in Greenford, the Prime Minister said: "They are Covid babies, they have been born in lockdown, they are almost a year old, some of them just over a year old.

"The things they will experience now, the amount of love, affection, contact, neural stimulation... that they get, that will make a huge difference to their life chances.

"We as a Government totally understand that, that's why we want to make these changes now, these investments, and push forward the whole Start for Life agenda."

11:48 AM

Have your say: Should pubs have the right to ask for vaccine passports?

Boris Johnson put the cat among the pigeons yesterday afternoon, when he suggested that "individual publicans" might decide whether to demand vaccine passports from their customers.

This morning he stressed that any such scheme would not be in force when pubs begin outdoor service from April 12, but he added: "I do think there is going to be a role for certification."

The industry has warned that any such move would create tension between businesses and their customers, was likely discriminatory and "impossible" to implement, while Tory backbenchers have warned it will create a "two-tier Britain" in which those who have not had the jab for reasons outside their control will be barred from society.

However, with a third wave rising in Europe and the threat of variants never far, it might be the only way to keep the economy open.

So should vaccine passports be used in pubs? Have your say in the poll below.

11:39 AM

Boris Johnson defends his 'freedom-loving' instincts

Boris Johnson has defended his libertarian instincts against charges from lockdown-sceptic Conservative backbenchers.

Up to 60 Tory MPs could rebel against the renewing of Covid regulations for another six months during a vote today - although the vote is expected to pass easily, with the support of Labour.

However the ongoing infringement of civil liberties is gnawing away at support for the Prime Minister within the party.

Speaking during a school visit this morning, he said: "The libertarian in me is also trying to protect people's fundamental right to life and their ability to live their lives normally and the only way really to restore that for everybody is for us to beat the disease.

"The best path to freedom is down the cautious but irreversible road map that we've set out - that's what the freedom-lover wants."

11:33 AM

Business Secretary hits back after Labour claims he had to be 'dragged' to Commons

The Business Secretary has hit back at Labour's suggestion that he had been "dragged" to the Commons to answer questions on UK steel, telling MPs: "This is not the case at all.

Kwasi Kwarteng was called to answer questions about nationalising Liberty Steel, which employs 5,000 people, and faces an uncertain future after its main financial backer - Greensill Capital - collapsed into administration earlier this month

"I was the Secretary of State that reconstituted the Steel Council on March 5. That was a top priority for me because I feel we do have a future for UK steel," he told Labour's shadow business minister Lucy Powell.

Noting the Government's infrastructure plans need several million tonnes of steel over the next decade, he added: "It's absolutely a commitment of mine as Secretary of State to ensure we have a viable steel industry in this country."

11:26 AM

Russell Lynch: Europe’s ‘Anglo-Saxon’ phobia is proving deadly

Floundering Europe is poised to press the nuclear button with a vaccine ban on exports, but there is no doubt in their minds who bears the blame.

Despite a litany of procurement failures by the European Commission, MEP Phillippe Lamberts became the latest politician to pour petrol on a raging diplomatic row when he accused AstraZeneca of a “culture of dishonesty, overpromising and underdelivering by massive amounts” and added: “Everything points to a company that cannot be relied on.”

A combination of panic over a third wave and lingering bruises over Brexit may be behind the latest slurs, but critics say Astra – an Anglo-Swedish firm run by a Frenchman – is also bearing the brunt of decades of deep-seated suspicion over Anglo-Saxon capitalism on the Continent.

Read Russell Lynch's analysis here

11:17 AM

Pubs will not have to impose vaccine passports from April 12, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has moved to reassure pubs that vaccine passports will not be used when they reopen for outdoors service on April 12.

The Prime Minister has put the industry on high alert after his admission yesterday that certification was in the mix for hospitality.

Asked about this during a school visit today, he said: "No decisions have been taken at all... and none of this will apply on April 12 when all outdoors anyway."

He added: "I do think there is going to be a role for certification. What we said is we'll be reporting on the work of the certification group in early April, either on April 5 or April 12.

"There are lots of difficult issues because there are some people who for medical reasons can't get a vaccination, pregnant women can't get a vaccination at the moment, you've got to be careful about how you do this.

"You might only be able to implement a thorough-going vaccination passport scheme even if you wanted such a thing in the context of when absolutely everybody had been offered a vaccine."

11:11 AM

European Commission made a 'major mistake' on vaccine procurement, says Jean-Claude Juncker

The European Commission was caught between a rock and a hard place on the vaccine procurement plan, Jean-Claude Juncker has said - but ultimately made a "major mistake".

The former president told the BBC that the decision to be "budget conscious" was "quite normal" because "in normal times the Commission is accused of spreading money around without taking into consideration what is happening."

However "others were not" so conscious of this issue "because they wanted to fight against the pandemic", he noted.

"And that was a major mistake which should not have happened. But it happened."

11:04 AM

Ursula von der Leyen should not resign over vaccine delays, says Jean-Claude Juncker

Ursula von der Leyen has not done a brilliant job in handling the vaccine programme - but it would be a lot worse if she resigned, Jean-Claude Juncker has said.

Her predecessor, who handed over the reins in 2019, said the EU's slow pace of vaccination was because of a "too cautious" and "budget conscious" approach.

But asked if she should resign, he told the BBC: "No."

"These are not failures of the Commission, they are failures of the member states and so I don't think the removal of Mrs von der Leyen would be helpful. On the contrary, it would prolong the delays."

He added: "It's too easy to put all the responsibility on the shoulders of the Commission under Mrs von der Leyen. All the member states of the European Union are responsible for these delays, given the bureaucratic approach some member states had when it came to translate into reality the decisions which have been taken on a European level."

10:53 AM

Postal votes will not be quarantined for May's election

Postal votes for May's elections will not have to be quarantined, a Cabinet Office minister has confirmed.

Conservative MP Bob Blackman called on Chloe Smith, the constitution minister, to clarify what measures would be taken to ensure "both the count is secure and also that postal votes are treated appropriately" during the pandemic.

Ms Smith said that guidance was being put out on "the overall election process".

She added: "I might take this opportunity to emphasise that postal votes and other items of paperwork do not need to be quarantined, contrary to some recent media reporting, and that has also been made clear by the Electoral Commission and others."

10:49 AM

Northern Ireland must not be excluded from Britain's flag rule, says DUP

The DUP has called for new guidance on the flying of the Union flag to be extended to Northern Ireland, after Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden called for it to be flown from Government buildings every day "as a proud reminder of our history and the ties that bind us".

In Northern Ireland it will continue to be flown only on designated days.

But DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said it is "bizarre" that the UK Government is "only deciding in 2021 to fly the Union flag, the flag of our nation, on all Government buildings every day".

"When I visit other nations around the world, flying the national flag on Government buildings is commonplace," he said.

"The decision to exclude Northern Ireland at this stage is wrong and runs contrary to New Decade, New Approach which sought to align us with the rest of the UK when it came to the Union flag being flown on Government buildings.

"This is a matter we will be pressing the Government to address."

10:16 AM

Tories to challenge Government on police powers ahead of lockdown vote

A vote on extending coronavirus laws for a further six months will take place in the Commons this afternoon amid talks between the UK and EU aiming to resolve a dispute over vaccine supplies.

On Thursday, MPs will be asked to approve the regulations for the route out of lockdown and keep some of the emergency powers in the Coronavirus Act in place until September.

The legislation for restrictions over the coming months, as the Government sets out its road map for coming out of lockdown, will see some restrictions remain in place in England until at least June 21.

The vote on Thursday is likely to comfortably pass, with Labour not expected to oppose the measures.

But Conservative MP Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the Covid Recovery Group of Tory lockdown sceptics, said the vote was a "rare opportunity" for MPs to "say no to a new way of life in a checkpoint society" and up to 60 Tory MPs may oppose.

Mr Baker is expected to put down an amendment this morning seeking the suspension of a section of the legislation which permits police officers to take action against "potentially infectious" people.

The amendment would remove Schedule 21 of the Act, which allows officers to force people to be tested or restrict their movement. It becomes an offence if they do not comply.

10:10 AM

Boris Johnson urged to think again on 'impossible' pubs passport plan

Boris Johnson has been urged to think again on Covid vaccine passports for pubs, after he suggested that it would be down to individual landlords to impose.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said the concept would be "putting our businesses in an impossible situation", in which they may "have to discriminate against those who have not had vaccine", including those who have been advised not to, such as pregnant women "or who haven't had the opportunity to, like younger people".

That could lead to "tension with customers that may or may not have had vaccine, or smart phone to prove it", she added.

She told Sky News: "We did not consider this was something would be put to domestic venues and our pubs. We understand it was being considered for international travel, but it would be a huge business burden and we desperately want to avoid that situation."

She added: "I hope the Government do give this more consideration and decide it is not the right road to go down."

09:58 AM

Retaliatory export ban over row with EU will have 'huge ramifications' for UK

The director of the Wellcome Trust has warned against a tit-for-tat export ban against EU countries, warning it could have "huge ramifications" for vaccine supplies coming into the UK.

Sir Jeremy Farrar told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that any retaliation could result in bans being imposed by other countries, such as India, which is a hub for the global supply of Covid vaccines.

He added: "I hope moving towards a diplomatic and political solution to this comes through in the coming hours and days because we are all dependent on this.

"Supply chains of how we make vaccines are by necessity international - they cross borders - and an argument between the UK and the European Union about this is sending repercussions all around the world, I'm afraid.

"I hope that we now see an outbreak of statecraft and skill, diplomacy, and, frankly, leadership, because science has really delivered over the past year and now we really do need our politicians to make sure that we make that science available to the most number of people all over the world."

09:55 AM

Travel ban likely until European cases drop and vaccinations rise, says Wellcome Trust boss

During yesterday's liaison committee hearing, Boris Johnson gave little away about what the chances of international travel might be this summer - although truth be told he sounded downbeat.

That was echoed this morning, in an assessment by Wellcome Trust director Sir Jeremy Farrar, who told Radio 4's Today programme the third wave is likely to delay any lifting of restrictions.

He said: "I think [the ban] will [continue], until we can see progress in Europe with the epidemic coming down and vaccination rates going up in Europe."

He noted that vaccine passports could cross the line "of individual freedoms and public health", adding that "public health works when there is trust and when people want to do things that are their interests, and in the interests of their community, their families and their society".

09:46 AM

Poacher turned gamekeeper: Cameron investigated by lobbying watchdog he set up

Former prime minister David Cameron is being investigated by the lobbying watchdog following claims he tried to persuade Government figures to grant loans to a financial firm he worked for.

Mr Cameron reportedly sent a number of texts to the Chancellor's private phone asking for support for Greensill Capital through the Government's Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF).

He is also alleged to have approached the Bank of England about the firm, which collapsed into administration earlier this month.

His activities are now being investigated by Harry Rich, the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists - a post set up in legislation passed by Mr Cameron's Government in 2014.

09:35 AM

Europe is reliant on the vaccines it can make, says Merkel

European Union leaders will discuss how to make sure more vaccines are made on European soil since the bloc's supply problems are more to do with a lack of production capacity than with under-ordering, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said.

"British production sites are manufacturing for Britain and the United States is not exporting, so we are reliant on what we can make in Europe," she told legislators ahead of an EU leaders' summit later on Thursday.

"We have to assume that the virus, with its mutations, may be occupying us for a long time to come so the question goes far beyond this year," she added.

In addition, more work had to be done on ensuring the rest of the world was supplied with vaccines, since otherwise new mutations would keep emerging, some of which might turn out to be vaccine-resistant, Merkel warned.

09:29 AM

What you can and can't do from March 29

As the Easter holidays begin, the Government has allowed limited changes to lockdown rules to allow families to reunite.

On Monday, March 29, for the first time in 12 weeks, people across England will no longer be ordered to "Stay Home", with limited contact between different households being allowed and many outdoor activities able to resume.

Read more on what you can and can't do on March 29 here.

09:26 AM

Border Force will get powers to stop and redirect boats carrying migrants across Channel

Border Force officers are to get new Australian-style “turn-back” powers to stop and redirect boats carrying illegal migrants across the Channel, Charles Hymas reports.

Their new powers will be enshrined in Home Secretary Priti Patel’s new sovereign borders bill enabling them to turn back vessels wherever they suspect they are carrying illegal migrants.

It mirrors similar “turn-back” tactics in the Australian Government’s Sovereign Borders campaign in 2013 where it redirected boats to Indonesia or Sri Lanka.

Read the full story here.

09:12 AM

Miliband: Flying flags on Government buildings is 'fine by me'

Labour's shadow business secretary Ed Miliband has said plans to fly the Union flag on all Government buildings is "fine by me".

Ministers yesterday announced a change to guidance that would require all Government buildings to have a flag.

The move comes after a leaked report by consultants hired by Labour suggested the party made more use of the Union flag to boost its image as a party of patriotism.

09:03 AM

Minister hopes vague joint statement 'calms tensions'

Children's minister Vicky Ford said she hopes a joint statement between the UK and the European Union on the vaccine supply row has "calmed down some of the tensions".

Britain and the EU issued a statement yesterday promising to work together on the vaccine export situation to create a "reciprocally beneficial relationship" - but there were no specifics on what that means.

Ms Ford told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I think it is really helpful that both the UK and the EU worked together yesterday on that joint statement saying they want to work together to make sure there is that reciprocity and making sure the vaccine continues to flow across borders.

"That is so important and that is what we will all continue to work towards."

Mrs Ford added: "We need to all work on this together and I hope that the joint statement that came out of the EU and the UK yesterday has calmed down some of the tensions."

Read more about why there is a vaccine row between the UK and EU here.

08:53 AM

Mark Harper: Vaccination passports raise 'significant moral questions'

Covid Recovery Group chairman Mark Harper said the vaccination programme should signal a return to normality rather than lead to people being required to show proof of vaccination to access hospitality venues.

Speaking to Sky News about vaccine passports, he said: "I actually agree with the Prime Minister - that is the Prime Minister of February when he said that he didn't think there was a case for expecting people to show papers to go to the pub and said there were very significant problems with ethical, moral questions about this issue.

"I've heard some heads of pub chains this morning set out some of those significant problems.

"The key way we are going to deal with this issue is by vaccinating people, and we've already almost finished vaccinating, with their first doses, the top nine groups who are most vulnerable, who account for 99 per cent of those who died of Covid and over 80 per cent of the hospitalisations.

"That's how we get out of this."

08:49 AM

What is today's big rebellion all about?

MPs will today vote on the extension of powers in the Coronavirus Act, which would continue emergency powers to police lockdown, rules around statutory sick pay and other emergency legal changes until October.

Many MPs are sceptical of continuing some of the more draconian provisions in the Act, especially the police's powers to force people to go and receive a coronavirus test if they have reasonable grounds to think they are potentially infectious.

Schedule 21 of the Bill also has the power to restrict a person's movement or their contact with other people, and it can be an offence if they do not comply.

Steve Baker, a Tory MP, will today table an amendment to remove those powers from the bill. He calls them "redundant to say the very least" and points out that they have a "100 per cent unlawful prosecution record".

08:35 AM

Miliband: Don't leave vaccine passports to discretion of landlords

Labour shadow business secretary Ed Miliband said ministers should not leave the use of vaccine passports to the "discretion" of pub landlords if they thought it was the right move for public health.

Put to him on ITV's Good Morning Britain that scientists might recommend the rollout of vaccine passports to encourage people to take up the offer of a jab, Mr Miliband said: "Maybe. I don't think that's really the thing that is going to persuade people to get the vaccine.

"I think we've done brilliantly in this country at rolling out the vaccine and people taking up the vaccine and the key thing is a campaign of persuasion for people to take up the vaccine. That is the biggest priority.

"Now, if the Government has got evidence that this is necessary for people to go to hospitality venues, let's look at that evidence.

"That isn't quite what the Prime Minister said yesterday.

"And indeed if it was necessary, why would you be leaving it up to individual landlords? If this was really a public health measure, you wouldn't be saying, 'Well, it is going to be a landlord discretion' - you'd be saying, 'This is the Government's view, this is what's safe'.

"So there are many, many unanswered questions about this."

08:31 AM

Pub passports 'a fairly poorly though-out idea'

Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame pub group, has said making vaccination a mandatory prerequisite to attend a pub is "a fairly poorly thought-out idea" which could lead to young staff having to deal with intimidation from customers.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm very concerned about the pressure we put on our young people - 50% of people (working) in pubs are under 25 - you're going to force them to make some very challenging judgments, because they're not qualified or trained as door staff, as they might be in the nightclub sector.

"So those people might therefore be subject to intimidation, if people think they are being unfairly discriminated against, and then there's the question about who's going to enforce this - are police going to do random checks?

"I don't think so, I don't think that's the society we want."

He added: "This is a fraught with difficulty I think, and it is, in my view, a fairly poorly thought-out idea at this stage."

08:30 AM

Boss of 300 pubs will not enforce 'discriminatory' jab passport rule

Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame group, said he would not make having had a coronavirus vaccine a mandatory condition for people to enter one of his 300 pubs.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 Today programme, he said: "The whole essence of a pub is that they are diverse and inclusive environments, where everybody, and families in particular, are extremely welcome.

"I mean imagine a scene where a family is reconnecting for the first time after this crisis, where grandpa's forgotten his vaccination certificate, mum is pregnant, and the kids are too young to have had it yet - who's going to make the judgment on the door on that occasion?

"I also think there are some issues with discrimination.

"I think it's absolutely fine to exclude people where there is a situation of bad behaviour or drunkenness, and that's already enshrined in law, but if you're going to exclude people for what they are, or what they have not done, that's a wholly different issue which does touch on discrimination, civil liberties, and in this case data protection issues."

08:23 AM

Pub passports were outlined in PM's roadmap, minister suggests

As our front page story by our Political Editor Ben Riley-Smith revealed, landlords may ask punters for vaccine passports before they are allowed in for a drink.

But a Government minister suggested this was outlined as part of the Prime Minister's road map for lockdown easing.

Children's minister Vicky Ford, when asked why Boris Johnson appeared to U-turn on vaccine passports during his appearance before the Liaison Committee on Wednesday, told Sky News: "When we set out the road map way back in February to show us the way out of this lockdown, one of the things we said was that there would be reviews of different situations and there was always in that road map a review of the certifications (of having received a vaccine) and use of testing.

"And that review - which looks at how you would use vaccines, how you would use testing to keep settings safe when we go to that widest reopening - that is due before the fourth stage of the lockdown, so it has always been very clear we would be looking at all the different measures in order to take that really widest step."

08:18 AM

Today's front page

Here is your Daily Telegraph on Thursday, Mar 25.