CLACTON'S Tory MP Giles Watling would vote against his Government’s controversial plans for Covid-19 ‘passports’.

The Government has mooted the introduction of Covid certificates, showing people’s vaccination, test or immunity status.

But many MPs have criticised the idea, with senior Tory backbenchers warning it could lead to a “two-tier” Britain.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the Government is looking at all options as a way of fully reopening the economy - and that MPs will be given a vote on any proposals.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Covid certificates - also referred to as passports - would not be rolled out until well after indoor hospitality reopens from May 17.

Clacton MP Mr Watling said the certificates would be “divisive and discriminatory”.

“I’m a libertarian by nature and I want the Government to step back on this,” he said.

“If it comes to it, I would vote against it. Our vaccination programme is world beating.

“Domestically we should be able to go to our pubs without let or hindrance.

“However, where international travel is concerned there needs to be some sort of certificate in place as many countries won’t let people in without them.

“So there will need to be some sort of identification for that.”

There were just 26 new Covid cases reported in Tendring in the seven days to April 6, a decrease of 63.9 per cent on the previous week.

The infection rate has fallen to 26.6 cases per 100,000 people - down from a high of 1,269 on January 8.

There has been just one deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test in Tendring in the past week, bringing the total since the pandemic started is 568.