Stop Vaccine Passports

Dear MP,

I am writing as one of your constituents. I wish to bring up the issue of domestic vaccine passports which the government is proposing to introduce for access to nightclubs and other venues “where large crowds gather”. This is an issue I feel particularly strongly about, and I would ask you regardless of any party affiliation to vote against these discriminatory and totalitarian measures.

Firstly, vaccine passports are inequitable and will create a segregated society; a shameful situation for the country that funded the end of the transatlantic slave trade, and which has worked hard to end segregation on racial grounds. It has been observed that the take up of the vaccine is related to ethnicity, with Polish nationals having one of the lowest rates of vaccination in the UK. On closer inspection this makes complete sense, as most Polish nationals will remember the years of oppression they endured at the hands of the Nazis and the Soviets. Also, take up amongst the BAME community has also been lower than the remainder of the population. However you may wish to justify the introduction of said passports, there can be no denying they will recreate some degree of racial division and tension. An utterly appalling situation.

Secondly, can we get a clear confirmation of what the vaccine passports are intended to achieve? If the government is to be believed, the coronavirus vaccine does not stop transmission of the virus, but in fact lessens the effects on the recipient (to avoid serious complications). It seems to me that the unvaccinated are in fact more at risk from the vaccinated and are therefore much more likely to be denigrated. Have I misunderstood the purpose of the passports and the intention is to keep the vaccinated people out of nightclubs and other venues?

Further to this, the vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed that even those who were given a placebo vaccine will still get a vaccine passport, regardless of the fact they may not have been immunised against the virus. Clearly the purpose of the vaccine is not a question of health, but a question of compliance.

The proposals of the vaccine passports are very similar to the proposed ID card schemes of Tony Blair’s government. I find it interesting to note that previously our prime minister said he would tear up and eat such a card should it ever be introduced. This is in complete contrast to the position he now adopts, since he is being vocal in his support of such ID cards. How can the prime minister be trusted when he is so inconsistent?

Under current human rights legislation religion or belief are protected characteristics. Therefore, the introduction of vaccine passports will clearly override these human rights. As you know, the law works on precedence; once vaccine passports have paved the way for trashing human rights legislation, this, or future governments (which you may or may not be a part of) will find it much easier to violate our other human rights.

On one final note, if you are adamant you wish to ignore my wishes and vote in favour of a segregated society, can you answer me this one question: at any time in history, can you name me one instance where increased government surveillance, and a divided society have allowed freedoms to be restored?

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.