Vaccine passports create unlawful 'two-tier society' says Equalities Watchdog

Britain's equalities watchdog has warned the Government that Vaccine passports could be unlawful and create a 'two-tier society'.

The so-called 'Covid-status certificates' are being considered by ministers despite concerns from Boris Johnson's own MPs that they will be 'intrusive, costly and unnecessary'.  

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has told the Cabinet Office that while they consider them to be a 'proportionate' way of easing restrictions, they could also exclude people from everyday life.

And they warned that a 'no jab, no job' policy could be illegal before the entire population is offered a jab, while plans to force all care workers to be vaccinated could also be subject to a legal challenge.

The EHRC's submission says they could cause 'indirect discrimination', citing recent migrants to the UK, people from black and minority ethnic groups or those from poorer backgrounds.

'There is a risk of unlawful discrimination if decisions taken in this process disadvantage people with protected characteristics who have not received, or are not able to receive, the vaccine, unless they can be shown to be justified,'

'Any mandatory requirement for vaccination or the implementation of Covid-status certification may amount to indirect discrimination, unless the requirement can be objectively justified'  it said. 

Boris Johnson touted vaccine passports as one of the 'best way' to get into pubs, theatres or stadiums, months after the Government ruled them out. 

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