BRITS will only be forced to live with vaccine passports for “less than a year”, with Boris Johnson setting a “time limit” to calm a Tory revolt, it has been claimed.
The PM is tipped to reveal more on holidays, and give vaccine passports the green light, on Monday.
However, he is facing a rebellion over his Covid passport plan – as 72 cross-party MPs join forces and prepare to block it.
But last night, a Whitehall source told Mail Online how he plans to win round the Tory MPs.
They said: “It will be time-limited and I think the duration of the scheme will be measured in months.
“The party will not wear any longer.”
They source added that the scheme would not last more than a year.
It comes as 40 Tories and six ex-Cabinet ministers vowed to block the “divisive and discriminatory” jab passports.
Organised by the pressure group Big Brother Watch, the 72 MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn and Sir Iain Duncan Smith, are mounting pressure on the Government to halt plans for Covid status certification.
It has also been backed by a string of Tory former ministers including Esther McVey, Nus Ghani, Mark Harper and Harriett Baldwin.
And with 40 Tory MPs onboard, the signatories potentially have the numbers to override Boris Johnson’s Commons majority.
This comes as Covid passports will be trialled in the UK this month – and Brits heading to the FA Cup Final and the World Snooker Championship will have to test negative first.
A trial for the scheme – which eventually could allow bars and big events to abandon social distancing – will be unrolled within weeks.
Those heading to any of the huge events will be asked to take a Covid test to gain entry, as well as another after attending.
It’s hoped the plans will allow experts to track the spread of the virus.
The rebel MPs statement says: “We oppose the divisive and discriminatory use of Covid status certification to deny individuals access to general services, businesses or jobs.”
Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs has said the vaccine rollout makes passports unnecessary.
He said: “Covid status certification would be divisive and discriminatory.
“With high levels of vaccination protecting the vulnerable and making transmission less likely, we should aim to return to normal life, not to put permanent restrictions in place.”
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said easing lockdown should restore freedoms, not create “creeping authoritarianism.”
Sir Davey added: “We should start getting our freedoms back. Vaccine passports – essentially Covid ID cards – take us in the other direction.”
