Blair told The Telegraph the UK must use its influence as a member of the G7 to "take the initiative" on the issue and establish a global standard.

A report by the Tony Blair Institute said current Covid border restrictions around the world were "disjointed", adding the tougher border measures outlined by the UK government on Wednesday (27 January) would make it more difficult to emerge from the Covid crisis without some form of vaccine passport or certification.

He said any such travel pass should be digital and capable of tracking and verifying people’s Covid status wherever they are in the world.

It would carry details of their Covid vaccination, as well as any recent Covid test results.

Blair added vaccine passport or travel passport data should be paperless, and be accessible at national borders via a QR code.

"It’s better to have common rules and a common verification system so people know what your disease status is and know it with some validation," Blair told The Telegraph.

He added the UK should use its current presidency of the G7 – which also features the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – to take the lead on the issue, with the G7 due to meet over 11-13 June in Cornwall.