Last updated 11:37, Tuesday, 13 May 2008

THE one sure sign of a government in desperate death throes is its fondness for vicious bullying.

And as Labour MPs work on banning up to 100,000 children a year from primary schools in England and Wales, unless they’ve been vaccinated precisely in the way dictated by their (previous) prime minister, all cases are rested.

Children who have not received the MMR vaccine should not be allowed to start school, a Labour MP has suggested.

Mary Creagh, MP for Wakefield, says primary schools should be compelled to demand proof that children had been given the MMR jab before they could register.

Ms Creagh, who is in charge of drawing up the Labour party’s public health manifesto for the next election, said the sanction should be used to increase uptake of the controversial MMR vaccine, which many parents still fear is linked to autism and serious bowel disorders in young children.

In a conveniently timed additional statement, public health expert Sir Sandy Macara suggests linking child benefits to vaccinations. This would ensure full vaccine coverage and more forcefully make the argument that it was being done for the public good rather than for the benefit of individuals. Translation: Do as you’re told, or else.

The official line is that the Government has no plans to introduce compulsory vaccinations. It doesn’t need any.

Virtually outlawing single vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella; denying children an education and starving them into the bargain should do very nicely, thank you.

The British Medical Association calls the plans “Stalinist”. That’s debatable... but it’s fair to say Robert Mugabe’s pretty impressed.