Labour denies compulsory jabs

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According to reports in The Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Express newspapers, the plan is being considered by Mary Creagh MP, who is in charge of drawing up the public health section of the Labour party's General Election manifesto.

Under the proposals, primary schools would be compelled to demand proof that children had had the full range of inoculations - including measles, mumps and rubella - before they could register.

Ms Creagh, MP for Wakefield, told the Sunday Express that the scheme was based on the system used in parts of the United States where school authorities are responsible for vaccinations.

"We have vaccination rates as low as 11% in parts of London," she said.

"We need to get our rates up to 95%, as recommended by the World Health Organisation. This is about health inequalities and poor areas where children are getting missed out."

"It would be up to local authorities to deal with individuals who refuse to vaccinate."

She added: "There would have to be exceptions, children who would be at risk from vaccines, like those with cancer or those who are HIV-positive and those with parents with strong religious beliefs."

In a brief statement, a party spokesman said: "Labour has no plans to introduce compulsory vaccination for children."

The proposal was strongly condemned by the chairman of the British Medical Association, Dr Hamish Meldrum, who said that forcing parents to have their children inoculated was "morally and ethically dubious".