The North East MPs against Boris Johnson's Covid plans

North East MPs set to vote against aspects of 'Plan B': Dehenna Davison - Conservative - Bishop Auckland Jill Mortimer - Conservative - Hartlepool Julian Sturdy - Conservative - York Outer Matt Vickers - Conservative - Stockton South Emma Lewell-Buck - Labour - South Shields
From left to right: Jill Mortimer MP, Matt Vickers MP, Emma Lewell-Buck MP, Dehenna Davison MP and Julian Sturdy MP Credit: PA / ITV Tyne Tees

At least five MPs representing north east constituencies are set to vote against Boris Johnson's new Covid restrictions in Parliament on Tuesday evening.

They include four Conservative and one Labour backbencher, all of whom take issue with the introduction of mandatory Covid passes for nightclubs and large crowds.

North East MPs set to vote against aspects of 'Plan B':

  • Dehenna Davison - Conservative - Bishop Auckland

  • Jill Mortimer - Conservative - Hartlepool

  • Julian Sturdy - Conservative - York Outer

  • Matt Vickers - Conservative - Stockton South

  • Emma Lewell-Buck - Labour - South Shields

They join roughly 70 largely Conservative backbenchers threatening to oppose the government's Plan B for England, which is being introduced amid the spread of the Omicron variant.

The measures are expected to pass the Commons with the support of Labour, who broadly back tighter controls.

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Of the five north east MPs, four have directed their opposition towards the 'Covid pass' element of Plan B, which will require people to provide evidence of either being double vaccinated or recently passing a lateral flow test to enter "nightclubs and settings where large crowds gather".

But Conservative MP for Stockton South Matt Vickers has said he will vote against the wider Plan B, which also includes the return of mandatory face masks to many public settings and guidance over working from home.

"We need to learn to live with the virus and cannot continue in a never-ending cycle of restrictions," he wrote on Twitter.

Emma Lewell-Buck, MP for South Shields, is one of the few Labour politicians expected to vote against the proposals. Addressing the nation, Keir Starmer, called it his party's "patriotic duty" to back Plan B restrictions.

Ms Buck criticised what she considers to be a lack of scientific evidence supporting Covid passes and wants the Government to offer businesses more financial support if they do introduce the measure.

"The government have yet to come up with the science for why this is going to work, for one," she told ITV News Tyne Tees.

"This is going to impact the industry, and yet, already, they're not going to give this industry any extra financial support.

"For me, I want to force them into a position where they have to come back with other proposals... If they're going to do it, give those businesses some financial support as well.

The remaining north east Tory rebels cited their opposition to Covid passes directly.

Labour MP for Houghton & Sunderland South Bridget Phillipson is unable to cast her vote after testing positive for Covid.

MPs can no longer vote by proxy, as they were able to earlier in the pandemic.

Ms Phillipson said she would have voted in favour of the proposals.