Wes Streeting denounces comparing vaccine passports to Nazi Germany following Tory MP’s comments

Labour’s Wes Streeting has rejected the idea that plans to introduce proof of a negative test result or vaccination to enter certain venues is comparable to “Nazi Germany”.

Speaking in parliament as MPs debate the government’s “Plan B” measures, the shadow health secretary alluded to comments made yesterday on BBC Radio 5 Live by Tory MP Marcus Fysh, who said he will be voting against the measures as the UK is not “Nazi Germany”, and said this view was wrong.

He said: “There are sincere and deeply held views on both sides of the debate that we are having this afternoon... and I respect those taking a different view to the one that I’ll be outlining on behalf of the opposition.

“But can I also say that we owe it to our country to give them a debate worthy of the greatest traditions of this house and in light of the comments made in recent days by at least one Conservative MP comparing these measures to the situation in Germany in the 1930s I would just say it should not be for me as the shadow secretary of state to point out that we are not living in the 1930s and the secretary of state and his team are not Nazis.

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“On their shoulders rest the health of our nation and the responsibility to protect our NHS. Indeed it’s a responsibility we all share.

“They need our support and they are owed better treatment than they have received from some on their own side in recent days and even this afternoon.”

It comes as Fysh is expected to be one of the around 75 Tory rebels, led by Steve Baker, who will vote against the introduction of either mask-wearing or Covid certification in parliament today.

The restrictions are set to expire six weeks after implementation, with a review after three weeks and they are likely to pass Tory rebellion or not, as the Labour Party have said they will back them.

In his BBC interview, which Fysh said: “We live in a free society in this country where people have the freedom to do what they want with their own bodies and freedom of association”.

The concept of vaccine passports would be “segregating society based on an unacceptable thing”, he added.

“We are not a ‘papers please’ society...” he went on.

“This is not Nazi Germany. It’s the thin end of an authoritarian wedge.”

But people thought he was being profoundly tasteless and he received huge backlash on social media.

The vote is expected to happen at 6.30pm today, after MPs finish debating the measures which include fresh guidance on wearing masks and working from home as well as being vaccinated or testing negative to enter certain venues.

Indy100 contacted Fysh to comment on this story.