All care home workers must have Covid-19 jab after MPs vote

However, the vote came amid controversy, with a key document detailing the potential impact of the policy not complete and going unseen by those voting on the matter in the house.

The government was heavily criticised by its own Conservative MPs for not publishing the impact assessment before the vote with Health minister Helen Whately telling them it was 'being worked on'.

Care homes across the country were badly affected during the first wave of the pandemic, with many thousands of residents dying, despite the brave efforts of staff.

Ministers have previously expressed concern about the low take-up of the vaccine among some care home staff, although figures for Cheshire recently suggested it was higher than 80 per cent.

The House of Commons vote was won by a majority of 73 - with 319 MPs voting for and 246 against.

It will mean that from the autumn, anyone working in a Care Quality Commission-registered care home in England must have two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine unless they have a medical exemption.

Here in mid-Cheshire, Tatton MP Esther McVey voted against the government and was joined by Labour's Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury, while Conservative Eddisbury MP Edward Timpson voted for it.

Speaking to the Guardian about the vote, Mike Amesbury MP said: "I am double vaccinated and I trust the science.

"But I’m against the mandatory vaccination of the population at large and our hardworking, underpaid workforce of care home staff.

"The British way is to educate and persuade people so they make the choice to have the vaccine for the good of their own health.

"Thanks to NHS staff, public health professionals and volunteers the vaccine roll-out has been a tremendous success.

"The evidence on the ground would suggest the vast majority of care workers are also doing right thing and having the vaccination unless there is a medical reason why they can’t.

"We need to remember it was this Government that put tens of thousands of older people at risk by allowing Covid-infected patients to be discharged from hospital back into care homes.

"And let’s not forget about the 1,500 health and care staff who have died, with many left unprotected due to the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the early phase of the pandemic.

"Big-hearted local companies, organisations, schools, colleges and individuals generously stepped in to the breach to produce visors, goggles and aprons."

Tatton MP Esther McVey said: "Our dedicated care home workers have been at the forefront of this pandemic.

"Many left their own families and moved into the home, some camping out in care home grounds, to ensure they did not bring infection into the residents.

"These people care deeply about those they are looking after. Instead of mandating and forcing these workers to have the vaccination, we need to find out why they do not want it and see what we can do to address their concerns.

"In addition to this, a Lords committee asked Government to delay the vote while more information could be gathered, and Government itself refused to publish the impact assessment of this policy ahead of asking MPs to vote.

"My concerns were too great and I could not vote for it."

Eddisbury MP Edward Timpson was approached for a comment.