UK PM Boris Johnson suffers biggest party rebellion over curbs to stop Omicron
- Nearly 100 Tory MPs vote against measures which would usher in mandatory use of Covid passes in England
- PM Boris Johnson, already under pressure over scandals, is battling to prevent Omicron spiralling out of control
Boris Johnson suffered his biggest rebellion since becoming UK prime minister, forcing him to rely on opposition votes to implement a key measure to stop the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
Almost 100 Tories on Tuesday opposed his plan to mandate the use of so-called Covid passes at nightclubs and other venues in England to try to help prevent the spread of the new strain, easily surpassing the 55-strong rebellion Johnson suffered a year ago that was also over coronavirus measures.
It’s a significant blow to his authority and comes at a critical time ahead of a special parliamentary election this week that could damage his standing still further. It also risks limiting his options to respond to the pandemic if the Omicron crisis deepens, with infections running at an estimated 200,000 a day.
The magnitude of the rebellion illustrates the depth of anger among his MPs, not just at the erosion of civil liberties they say his coronavirus rules represent. They’re also frustrated at some of Johnson’s self-inflicted errors that have damaged the party in recent weeks.
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