A FORMER Tory minister has claimed the SNP joined Tory rebels to vote against the UK Government’s Covid Plan B bill - although none of the party's MPs voted at all.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday, Damian Green said he was joined in the lobby to vote against the Tory legislation by some Labour, LibDem and SNP MPs. However members of Ian Blackford's party did not vote on the England-only legislation.
Some 99 Conservative MPs defied the UK Government to vote against the legislation, which means adults in England must show a Covid pass to enter nightclubs, big sports matches and other large events.
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Despite the rebellion the bill passed with MPs voting 369 to 126 for the bill.
Journalist Nick Robinson asked Green: “What really struck people when they looked at who had voted against the government yesterday was not the sheer scale of this rebellion, but the breadth of it as well.
"What on earth brought you and other former ministers, people who traditionally seen on the centre-left of the Conservative Party with lifelong backbench right-wing rebels?”
Green responded: “Well, and people from other parties, you know, there were there were Labour people in that lobby, as well as liberal Democrats and the SNP.”
When contacted by The National, Green said it was a "straight-forward mistake" and that he "apologises" for it.
The Tory MP said he voted against the Government bill because while he supported previous Covid measures, he did not believe Covid passports would keep people safe.
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The new rules come after Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said the spread of the Omicron variant over the coming days would be "staggering", with infections currently doubling in less than two days in most UK regions.
Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday repeated her warnings of a “tsunami” of infections as the Scottish Government toughened coronavirus rules.
It means Scots are now urged to limit social gatherings to three households, shops and hospitality being told to back social distancing measures and the return to working from home for many staff.
On Wednesday, Deputy Frist Minister John Swinney also warned that more restrictions could be introduced before Christmas in order to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The SNP have been contacted for comment.
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