Pimlico Plumbers boss Charlie Mullins on vaccine passports, sacking half the cabinet and marrying Margaret Thatcher
Pimlico Plumbers owner Charlie Mullins says there should be "no more pussyfooting about" from the government over vaccine passports.He told the Acting Prime Minister podcast why the move is the only way people at his company will be able to work.
The multi-millionaire controversially plans to stick to a 'no jab, no job' policy with his team of engineers at London's largest independent plumbing company.
He added: "Personally, I have to say, I don't even think that we should allow people on the streets unless they've had the vaccine."
Charlie Mullins on why he wants vaccine passports:
Boris Johnson recently said a vaccine passport scheme for pubs and hospitality could be on the cards but the concept is "premature".
Asked by podcast host Paul Brand if he thought the government was doing enough, he said "we now need to stop talking, we need to make it happen".
He added: "Nobody is going to come and work for us unless they have proof they've had it.
"We're not going to send engineers out to customers houses once the vaccine is properly rolled out unless they've had the vaccine."
Charlie Mullins on making the cabinet more working-class:
Stepping into the shoes as Acting Prime Minister for a day, the business owner also said he would sack at least half the cabinet, keeping just Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Minister for Covid Vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi and Home Secretary Priti Patel.
He told ITV News: "We need more working-class people in there, people with common sense.
"I would bring in a lot of fresh blood and more normal working-class people, there aren't many of them that are floating around out there at the moment."
Mullins would fill the roles with prominent businessmen like himself, naming The Apprentice star Lord Alan Sugar and Dragon's Den panellist Peter Jones as potential candidates.
Charlie Mullins on why he'd marry Margaret Thatcher:
Mullins grew up alongside three brothers to a father who worked in a factory and a mother who was a cleaner.
He seized the opportunity to work as an apprentice with a local plumber and seeing his mentor's success was a turning point in his plan for the future.
At the time, he also found then prime minister Margaret Thatcher inspirational, feeling encouraged by her promises that he could own a house, a business and become a "bigger part of society".
He added: "I would have married Margaret Thatcher, that's how good she was.
"That was the person through my working career that, you know, I listened to I just admired her so much."
Listen to the full interview with Charlie Mullins below, or watch it on YouTube at the top of this page
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