Here’s the actual statute.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/85
I’m not licensed (or “licenced”) to practice law in the UK and am no expert on laws there, but I would imagine based on my decade plus of general common law jurisdiction legal experience that you can probably grant that permission through contract - so signing a contract that allows for the photographer to publicize the photos means you might not be able to revoke permission afterwards. I would be interested in hearing if the right survived any contractual term to the contrary from a UK lawyer.
Commercial use in this context means the suggestion or implication that the subject of the photo endorses or supports a product or service.
Look at it in the terms of Hollywood paparazzi. They can shoot a picture of Tom Cruise walking down the street and sell it to TMZ all they want, even though that’s for commercial gain. What they cannot do is use the picture in an ad for Tag Heuer watches, because that implies that Tom Cruise endorses Tag Heuer watches.