People need to follow public health advice "for themselves and their loved ones, rather than for any other reason", the vaccines and public health minister has said.
The news comes as reports are mounting that dozens of Tory MPs are planning to to submit letters of no confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
It's believed at least 20 Conservative MPs have already submitted their own letters to the 1922 Committee - formally known as the Conservative Private Members’ Committee - in an operation called the 'Pork Pie Plot'.
READ MORE:Three things PM could say in today's Covid rule update as he faces vote of no confidence - updates
If 54 MPs write to the chairman of the committee calling for a vote it could happen within hours.
An inquiry continues into parties held in and around Downing Street during lockdown and Mr Johnson has been accused of lying to the House of Commons by claiming he thought that a "bring your own booze" garden party on May 20, 2020 was a work event.
Vaccines and Public Health Minister Maggie Throup told BristolLive today (January 19): "I understand that people are angry and upset by what they are hearing and the Prime Minister has apologised to Parliament and the wider public.
"Sue Gray, a formidable civil servant, is carrying out an investigation into this and I do not want to pre-empt any of what she is going to say in her report.
"What it boils down to is that the vaccines are there to protect an individual and to stop them from passing the virus onto the people they care for as well.
"I think it is a matter of people understanding it is important to follow the public health messages for themselves and their loved ones, rather than for any other reason."
When asked if she thought Boris Johnson should stay as PM or whether she would be writing a no confidence letter, the MP for Erewash referred again to the Sue Gray investigation.
Further tension was added after Mr Johnson claimed in an interview yesterday that "nobody told" him the No 10 garden party was "against the rules".
One Tory MP was quoted in the Mirror saying: “His time has gone.” Another said: “I think we’ve done it... The whips operation completely backfired. Colleagues now have a sense they aren’t alone.”
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