DORSET South MP Richard Drax said he is ‘instinctively’ against a mandatory vaccine for NHS staff and carers – although he supports health bosses advising and encouraging frontline workers to have a jab.

Two jabs will become compulsory for frontline NHS staff in England from April 1 after MPs voted on the legislation last month.

But ministers have been issued a stark warning over the law with leaked documents saying there is growing evidence over its ‘rationality and proportionality’ with the Omicron variant.

It is estimated that more than 70,000 NHS staff – 4.9% - could remain unvaccinated by the deadline date, with NHS trusts preparing to start sending dismissal letters from February 3 to any members of staff who has not had their first dose by then.

As the Health Secretary comes under increasing pressure to scrap the law, Mr Drax said: “I understand that there would be some people who would say that as a profession in the business of caring that there is a responsibility to be fully jabbed. But I believe it is an individual’s right to not have the jab if they don’t want it.

“Mandatory medicine is not something we believe in in the UK.

Mr Drax, who recently praised moves to lift ‘Plan B’ Covid restrictions, added: “What occurs now if we mandate it is that the health and care sector will lose thousands of members of staff at a time when we need them the most, and that really doesn’t make sense.

“I would understand NHS bosses advising and encouraging their staff to have a vaccination but I am instinctively against making it mandatory. Less state and more common sense – leave it up to the individual to decide.”