The Conservative MP for Bournemouth suggested Britons needed to be jabbed in order to avoid the introduction of mandatory Covid vaccinations. Around 62 percent of adults in the UK have received a booster or third vaccine, and Tobias Ellwood was grilled on TalkRadio about whether jabs needed to become compulsory in order to increase uptake.

       Mr Ellwood told TalkRADIO: "You avoid the mandatory angle by people getting themselves jabbed.

       "Come to Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole hospitals in my area and the absolute majority of people that are in A&E, that are in intensive care because of covid have had no jabs.

       "They're putting a massive burden on the NHS preventing other illnesses from being treated because they are so overwhelmed.

       "So you avoid that question of mandatory vaccine, of mandatory passports and vaccinations and stuff like that, by us volunteering to make sure that you do the right thing."

       He continued: "That you support Britain and get in with the programme that everybody else is and getting themselves vaccinated."

       The Conservative MP's remarks sparked an angry response on social media.

       A TalkRadio listener branded Mr Ellwood's argument as "beyond insanity".

       @SDForeverandon wrote on Twitter:"'People can avoid mandatory vaccination by getting jabbed'.

       "That statement is beyond insanity."

       The listener added: "I burst out laughing at the actual madness of that."

       Another user @smarshallr wrote: "So do it 'voluntarily' or we'll mandate it.

       "That's mandatory vaccinations."

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       Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Wednesday the overwhelming majority of patients ending up in intensive care with Covid had not received their booster vaccine

       "I'm sorry to say this, but the overwhelming majority of people who are currently ending up in intensive care in our hospitals are people who are not boosted," he said.

       "I've talked to doctors who say the numbers are running up to 90 percent of people in intensive care."

       "I think everybody should enjoy new year but in a cautious and sensible way. Take a test, (think about) ventilation, think about others but above all, get a booster," Mr Johnson urged.