Local MP In COVID Vote Mix Up

Yesterday, you may have seen a vote passed for covid passports.  We don’t want to get involved in the pros and cons of the vote, but we do want to highlight something that has come to light for our area.   

Royston Smith MP, has been against the Covid Passport, so it was somewhat of a surprise to see he had actually voted for it. After a member of our team had already spoken about it, she received an email (copied below).

As you can see, Royston has advised he didn’t change his mind; he made a ‘mix up’ with the voting.  As I mentioned earlier, we won’t get drawn into the result of the vote, but felt we should give you this information for you to process how you see fit.

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

“Dear Ms R******


Yesterday, I gave you assurances that, like you I oppose vaccine passports and that I would not vote in favour of them. My position on vaccine passports has not changed and still I do not agree with them. I am aware that my voting record shows this differently and I would like to explain why this is the case.   



Last night, there were to be four votes. I was supporting three but not the Covid Passports.  



Vote number two was to change the rules from quarantine, for those in contact with a positive Covid case, to daily Lateral Flow Tests. Unbeknown to me there was unanimity on that measure and the House did not divide (vote). I was coming from another meeting and went into the Government lobby thinking I was voting for tests not quarantine (vote number two) and didn’t discover until afterwards that I was actually in the Government lobby voting for Covid Passports (vote number three). 



I told the Government Whips I was opposed and said the same to two Secretaries of State and a Minister who were despatched to talk to me over the weekend. They, and I were fully expecting me to vote against Covid Passports which was always my intention.  



That said, my vote wouldn’t have changed the outcome, but no one is more disappointed than I am.  



What I do know is these latest measures have a sunset clause (the 26th January 2022) and we will revert to the status quo at that time. 



I understand and acknowledge the disappointment you will feel but I can, with certainty, tell you it is nothing compared to the disappointment I feel in myself. 



I hope that this explains my mistake and I can assure you that my beliefs on these measures that I outlined to you yesterday remain the same.   



Best wishes 



Royston 


Royston Smith MP

Southampton Itchen”