The vote came less than an hour after the Prime Minister had sought to convince rebels to back his Plan B restrictions by addressing the 1922 Tory backbench committee.

Mr Johnson used the face-to-face meeting to urge his fellow Tories to do the “right thing” in the face of the rapid spread of omicron.

But one MP was heard exclaiming “wow” when the scale of the rebellion on Covid passports, one of four changes approved on Tuesday, became clear in the Commons chamber.

Questions over Boris Johnson’s leadership following Tory rebellion

Covid passports passed only thanks to Labour support. Three other measures were also approved: extending face mask mandates; mandatory Covid jabs for NHS workers; and allowing people to avoid self-isolation after contact with someone who has Covid if they regularly test negative.

The scale of the rebellion – much bigger than expected – raises fresh questions about the Prime Minister’s ability to keep his party on side if he adopts tougher Covid restrictions in the coming weeks, as well as the depth of support in his leadership.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the 1922 Committee, said after the vote that a leadership challenge in the new year was now possible.

“I think that’s got to be on the cards. He’s got to realise that he’s got to change,” Sir Geoffrey told Sky News.

Tory whips are working on the assumption that the number of letters of no confidence submitted by Tory MPs about Mr Johnson is already in the double figures. If 54 letters are handed into the 1922 committee, a no confidence vote is automatically triggered.