Pub landlords could be given powers to turn customers away if they have not had a Covid vaccine. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted at giving publicans the final say on entry for punters when he gave an update on possible vaccine passports. 

When asked whether pubs would be able to ban those who haven't had the jab, Mr Johnson told the Liaison Committee this afternoon: "I think that's the kind of thing that may be up to individual publicans, it may be up to the landlord.

"The basic concept of vaccine certification should not be totally alien to us."

The idea of a vaccine passport has been suggested to help the UK open up after lockdown and avoid potential outbreaks of Covid. 

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove is currently reviewing whether bringing a certification system in for the vaccine is possible. 

Speaking about the concept yesterday, the Prime Minister added: "We haven't had stuff like this before, we've never thought in terms of having something that you have to show to go to a pub or theatre.

"So there are deep and complex issues that we need to explore, ethical issues about what the role is for government in mandating people to have such a thing or, indeed, banning people from doing such a thing.

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"We can't be discriminatory against people who, for whatever reason, can't have the vaccine - there might be medical reasons why people can't have the vaccine, or some people may genuinely refuse to have one.

"Now I think that's a mistake, I think everybody should have a vaccine but we need to thrash all this out."

The Prime Minister's comments come after former Cabinet minister David Davis warned the Government against introducing a domestic Covid-19 passport scheme

The senior Tory told MPs: “The impact of this would be discriminatory. Under the law it would be indirectly discriminatory and that is illegal.

“You may well find, it has been said, that black and ethnic minority communities are less inclined to get vaccinated, well that would be indirect discrimination.”

Pubs will be able to serve drink and food to customers from April 12, under the current road map out of lockdown. 

They will then be able to serve customers inside from May 17.