Tory MPs need ‘Covid passport’ to meet Boris Johnson at No 10

Boris Johnson has ordered Tory MPs who want to meet him in 10 Downing Street to bring "Covid passports".

An invitation to drinks on Tuesday night with the Prime Minister in Downing Street asks them to bring proof that they have been double jabbed or had a recent negative test.

The invitation - seen by the Telegraph - tells the MPs that "for security and safety reasons ... you will need to present your NHS Covid Pass on entry which shows proof of double vaccination, a recent infection or a recent negative test".

Mr Johnson is apparently meeting with groups of Conservative MPs according to the years they were elected. Tonight's party is for Conservative MPs elected before 2009.

Watch: Vaccine passports will be introduced at big venues to avoid winter closures, minister says

Some libertarian Tories are threatening to turn up at the famous black door of 10 Downing Street without any proof of their Covid status and risk being turned away to make a point about their concerns around so-called "vaccine passports".

The Government is proposing adults over 18 will have to show proof of their Covid status in order to enter large venues, which could include bigger theatres with capacities for audiences of well over 500.

'Will bouncers be turning MPs away?'

Sir Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP for New Forest West, told The Telegraph: "I will turn up at Number 10 and if I’m asked for a Covid passport I will politely decline. There are other parties."

Another veteran Tory MP, who asked not to be named, asked why MPs could mix with Mr Johnson without any proof of vaccination in Parliament but not in 10 Downing Street.

He said: "Why do we need a vaccine passport to meet him in Downing Street but not when we meet him in the Commons?"

William Wragg, a Conservative MP who will not be at the party as he was elected in May 2015, said: "Given it is not the law and colleagues are mixing with each other in Parliament it makes no sense. Will there be bouncers turning MPs away?”

A Number 10 source said "no one will be denied entry" if MPs turned up at Downing St without proof of Covid-status

Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, said at the weekend that the use of the Covid-19 certificates for big venues as well as nightclubs was “the right thing to do” because larger numbers of people mixing in close proximity “could end up causing a real spike in infections”.

He indicated that the Government was looking to introduce the certification by the end of September when all over-18s had been vaccinated.

Watch: Nicola Sturgeon pressed for more details on vaccine passports