EU plays vaccine politics badly

I have tweeted on this fast moving story. I am pressing the government to sort out the GB/NI trade. The EU’s ill judged actions strengthen our hand, giving us space to legislate our own solution that would be fair to all sides and ensure smooth flow of trade GB/NI as before.

120 Comments

  1. rose
    January 30, 2021

    I am all for HMG being sober in the face of this predictable outrage from the EU, but they must act before the justification fades, as it will all too soon. What more proof do we need that the whole Irish border wrangle was just a ploy, and a very low one? We cannot have any more Gove fudge and capitulation.

    The EU doesn’t give a damn about Northern Ireland or the South. At the moment there is unity between every political party throughout the British Isles, including the ruling two in Dublin, and we must keep it that way. The South are not going to be looked after any more by the EU, now that they have served their purpose, and of course we are no longer in the EU to stand up for them as we always used to. All of the British Isles should stand together in the face of this lawless and tyrannical protection racket, and make a coherent trading relationship.

    1. Hope
      January 30, 2021

      Not just trade JR. We read today our military need permission to move with equipment into N.Ireland! Our country required to notify NATO if troops moved from one part of our country to another. Please explain the full extent of Johnson’s horror servitude agreement. Not just the fragments that sound okay.

      Foster highlighted the hostility of the EU action yesterday.

      Gove and Johnson capitulated on safety clauses to IMB and Taxation. What did they give away yesterday to get EU to wirhdraw article 16?

    2. Peter
      January 30, 2021

      What about UK outrage at EU bad behaviour towards the UK because of the EU’s own vaccine problem?

      I do not agree with Charles Moore who writes in The Telegraph that we should be ‘generous’ towards the EU.

      We should should exploit their difficulties to enable us to make things better for the UK. Mr. Farage is correct on this issue.

    3. London Nick
      January 30, 2021

      Actually, the EU cares very much about Norhern Ireland: they want to take it over. They made that very clear from the start of the Brexit negotiations when they said that “Northern Ireland will be the price the UK pays for Brexit”. Their very words!

      That is why they have reversed their ban on exports of vaccines to NI, because they were told by the Irish government how badly this would affect the EU’s popularity in the region and how that would work against Irish unifification. The EU is determined to take NI away from the UK and, through the Protocol, Boris has virtually given it to them. Boris Johnson: the man who deliberately destroyed the United Kingdom.

    4. MiC
      January 30, 2021

      Until a proper legal opinion has been obtained on both contracts’ terms, it is impossible to say which party – if any – is being unreasonable, the UK, the European Union, or the company.

      A lot of people as ever are rushing to prejudge, I think.

      1. steve
        January 30, 2021

        MiC

        Let me ask you this; which of the following do you find unreasonable:

        1) Our nation’s sacrifices liberating Europe from tyranny

        2) The Berlin airlift.

        3) Our defence of Europe against Soviet nuclear attack during the cold war.

        4) The EU blocking life saving medicines destined for our country.

      2. Peter
        January 30, 2021

        Nonsense. Your Remain sympathies are blinding you to the facts as you desperately seek damage limitation.

        Daniel Hannan details EU problem behaviours in the Telegraph 30 January 2021 :-

        ‘ The EU’s behaviour over the past 72 hours has been so demented, so self-wounding, that it is hard to know where criticism should begin. ……’

        The EU have well and truly screwed up and they know it. They have also been very publicly found out, which probably upsets them even more.

        1. graham1946
          January 31, 2021

          And of course the Commission is totally fire proof in that however it screws up it cannot be held to account. Von der Lyen will not resign, I wager.

      3. dixie
        January 31, 2021

        Both contracts? I presume you are referring to the APA (Is this actually a contract?) between the EU and AstraZeneca AB in Sweden plus the contract between AstraZeneca AB and Novacep, the French company that owns the Belgian factory specifically contracted to produce EU supplies, which is not meeting it’s commitments.

        Interesting how the French have gone very, very quiet despite their company being at the centre of the problem.

      4. graham1946
        January 31, 2021

        The Barrack Room Lawyer speaks again.

    5. Fred.H
      January 30, 2021

      all good – except ‘make a coherent trading relationship’ – better as small as possible.

  2. ukretired123
    January 30, 2021

    Project Fear on medicines backfired spectacularly with 10-0 own goals showing the EU cannot be trusted by UK and now 27 for their own and rip up the International laws when it suits them. Hypocrisy in stilts as Mr Dodds rightly observed.

  3. Lifelogic
    January 30, 2021

    Indeed keep pushing on this NI issue though I do not have high hopes of this government. The deal has caused this as was predictable and indeed predicted.

    So Sunak faces a legal action for indirect anti-female sex discrimination with his Covid help regime for the self employed. Yet Hancock, Zahari and JCVI are blatantly discriminating against men to a very large degree indeed in the vaccine priority order. On a risk basis a 60 year old man is the same as a 65 year old woman. Why does no one even question this or take legal action here. This latter issue is not just money it would save hundreds of very easily saves lives and thousands of hospital admissions. Done Worldwide hundreds of thousands.

    1. Shirley M
      January 31, 2021

      If you start a vaccination criteria based on gender, then you open up the whole gender argument about who is a man, and who is a woman among the so-called 100 genders and the whole rollout would go into reverse! There are already arguments about which trades and professions are more ‘entitled’. Better to stick to simple criteria like age and vulnerability and eventually everyone will get vaccinated.

      1. ChrisS
        January 31, 2021

        It’s simple.
        What sex a person had when they were developing within the womb sets their medical conditioning for life.
        Sex change surgery cannot change that. Therefore it would be appropriate to consider including gender in the decisions on who should be vaccinated and when. However, it could all get terribly complicated and, crucially, slow the whole vaccination process down.

        As a 69 year old man, married for 47 years to a woman who is now 67, I would not want to be vaccinated before her.

      2. Lifelogic
        January 31, 2021

        But it is very clear that hundreds extra people will die if you do not adjust for the nearly double risk that men have at the same age. Perhaps JCVI, Hancock, Zahari would like to explain why this was done I am sure their thousands of relatives will understand they died for absurd PC presentation reasons or JCVI negligence.

  4. Lets Buy British
    January 30, 2021

    Authoritarian, totalitarian, arrogant, entitled, incompetent, childish, malevolent, corrupt, greedy, jealous, anything but transparent, undemocratic and I’m a moderate brexiteer having observed from afar for many years

    And can I ask everyone to make the effort to buy British

    1. Lifelogic
      January 30, 2021

      Not always easy to buy British alas. Daft employments laws, vast quantities of red tape, too few STEM people, a damaging legal system, huge over taxation and an expensive energy regime make it rather hard to manufacture profitably in the UK – other than in a few niche areas.

      1. Timaction
        January 30, 2021

        ….and there is still talk of wealth taxes in the March budget. It’s really time for the Government to publicly support Astra Zeneca against the lying, bullying EU bureaucrats. I’ve read the contracts and they don’t have a leg to stand on. It’s time to stop calling them our friends and allies when they are anything but. Makes Boris and the Government look weak.

      2. steve
        January 30, 2021

        LL

        Actually there is a British built TV, and a British built washing machine, so we’re hanging on in there.

        1. Lifelogic
          January 31, 2021

          Built in or just assembled?

    2. Andy
      January 30, 2021

      I’ll buy what I like, thanks. Though products from the EU are now more expensive because of your lousy Brexit.

      1. Gordon Nottingham
        January 30, 2021

        OF COURSE you will Andy as you should, its just a pity you still think Brexit is lousy.

      2. Timaction
        January 30, 2021

        Don’t worry. Trade imbalances we’ve had for years in their favour will change over time as we buy British or elsewhere in the world cheaper.

      3. Qubus
        January 30, 2021

        SO shall I, but it will be British from now on.

      4. None of the Above
        January 30, 2021

        Because they are no longer subsidised every year by ÂŁ12 Billion of UK Taxpayers money.

      5. London Nick
        January 30, 2021

        Good! If you insist on betraying your fellow British citizens by giving your money to our EU enemies then you can, literally, pay the price!

      6. No Longer Anonymous
        January 30, 2021

        Sure thing, Andy. But your lousy EU doesn’t want you or your kids to have the vaccine.

      7. Ed M
        January 30, 2021

        @Andy,
        He / she just asked.
        Also, don’t you get, patriotism is a virtue?
        Why on earth is loyalty to a political organisation a good thing / better thing than loyalty to your own country.
        The country voted, democratically to leave (and BOTH sides shenanigans – not just Brexiters as some Remainers claim). Sure, you can argue about whether the UK was ready / and about the plan, or lack of, involved in Brexit. But nevertheless, the country voted. Why can’t you just get on board and do the best you can to make things work as best as possible?

        1. Ed M
          January 31, 2021

          @Andy,

          Please get out the film A ‘Bridge Too Far’ (I don’t see why we don’t have the theme tune as our national anthem – brilliant) – and consider all those British soldiers – cheerful, good-natured, ‘ordinary,’ brave men – who went to their deaths saving UK from Nazi Germany.

          This is a perfect example of Patriotism. Patriotism is a virtue. It’s just an extension of love of Family. And Sovereignty is part of Patriotism. It just means you’re independent – not shackled to another person. And that you’re grateful for what you have and one to do your bit to improve it.

          Best.

        2. Ed M
          January 31, 2021

          Patriotism is a BEAUTIFUL virtue (Nationalism isn’t a virtue but a heresy – same for lack of patriotism, that too is a heresy).

      8. Fred.H
        January 30, 2021

        oh dear!

    3. turboterrier
      January 30, 2021

      L B B
      +1

    4. steve
      January 30, 2021

      LBB

      “…..make the effort to buy British”

      Always do, have been doing for years. I’ll buy American or Swedish as an alternative, but nothing connected to the ungrateful French – led EU, or the RoI. In fact, I stopped buying Scottish beef recently – don’t like the rhetoric coming from that country.

      They insult us ……I don’t buy their stuff simple as that.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        January 30, 2021

        Me too regarding Scotland. Plus I always try to find English, Welsh or N Irish.

      2. Peter Parsons
        January 30, 2021

        You are aware that Sweden is an EU member state?

        1. steve
          January 30, 2021

          Maybe so, but like us they are not Europeans. Also there is talk of swexit.

          1. Peter Parsons
            January 31, 2021

            “Like us”?

            We are all Europeans by geography whether you like it or not.

          2. MiC
            January 31, 2021

            Curious.

    5. jane4brexit
      January 31, 2021

      I recommend Somerset brie, which I think is far better than French brie!

  5. Peter
    January 30, 2021

    Agreed. The EU have gifted us an opportunity to move forward on our post Brexit arrangements. They have strengthened British opposition to EU tactics.

    We do need an active approach though. We cannot just sit back and grumble.

    Nigel Farage’s suggestion of using vaccines as a bargaining chip against the EU would certainly give them a taste of their own medicine.

  6. Fedupsoutherner
    January 30, 2021

    Not suprised at all by their underhanded attitude. I hope Boris stands firm on this one. We are giving vaccines to 3rd world countries as far as I am aware but the EU is not 3rd world. We don’t hear much about how much Germany is sitting on.

    1. Qubus
      January 30, 2021

      Sounds as though Mrs Leyen is a bit of a liability. On a recent NATO exercise involving German and British troops, she appears had to make some sort of decision regarding the limited finance available and spent it on a creche. As a result the soldiers had to be supplied with broom-handles instead of rifles.

  7. a-tracy
    January 30, 2021

    It’s all a bit confusing now. Did the EU President alone take the decision to put an export ban on vaccines or with the collective group vote by which legislature? Was it a legal decision? It seems laws can be written very quickly when it suits yet the Tories were condemned in December about the Internal Markets Bill clause that was actually written and agreed in the Withdrawal agreement. What has Boris agreed to in order for the EU to withdraw over NI?

    We had the same problem with ppe when a couple of the European large states halted our imports, that we had ordered in advance because they wanted them for themselves. This is why this carve up of industries at the top European table level and inter-country dependence wasn’t working for the UK, we were losing too much self-reliance in emergency situations to people that can’t be trusted. The bigger and more powerful leaders like Germany can just break away as they said they would this week closing their borders.

    1. Timaction
      January 30, 2021

      That’s because the EU was and always will be a Franco/ German racket and we have weak disingenuous Government’s.

    2. Qubus
      January 30, 2021

      Yes, but I seem to remember that Germany refused to send PPE equipment to Italy, because they claimed that they didn’t have enough for themselves. All part of EU solidarity.

    3. Hope
      January 30, 2021

      You might recall France seized PPE from being exported to U.K. What did Johnson do? Nothing. Germany u ilaterally closed its borders and no country helped Italy when it was crying for help. EU president apologised, they all knew lives were at risk and could not care less. Same yesterday. So what did spineless jellyfish Johnson capitulate on to get EU to change course?

    4. Dave Andrews
      January 30, 2021

      I wonder what happens when a lorry turns up at Hoek with a shipment of vaccine due for the UK. The EU Commission has ordered a block on vaccine exports, but the authorities at the Belgian port are subject to Belgian Law, not EU Commission orders.

      1. Dave Andrews
        January 30, 2021

        Sorry, that should be Dutch port and Dutch law.

  8. adenw
    January 30, 2021

    Look you took the EU at its word and removed the clauses from the bill Within a month the EU went back on its word.

    Time to recall parliament, put those clauses into law in a day.

    Warn the Lords that if they don’t pass the bill, they will be defunded. No expenses. No wine cellar, nothing. Nowt.

    How can the EU object?

  9. adenw
    January 30, 2021

    Here’s an idea for the fishing mess and Calais.

    The EU insists on regulations, loves them, and it loves to control the origin of goods.

    So a condition of a UK fishing licenses is that the fish are landed at UK ports. Applies to the UK fishing fleet and the French, the Dutch etc.

    Then the fish are tagged, with at tag. I suggest the tag has a union jack on it.

    Then they are shipped via Calais to their markets in the EU.

    Now of course it has to be a level playing field. So no special treatment for French fish, same for all. In fact, no special treatment for fish period. Same for all goods. If the French want to delay, they destroy their fishing industry.

    Plus you get jobs in the UK.

    What’s not to like? Use EU rules to solve the problem at Calais by making it an EU problem.

    PS. Why not Union Jack the vaccines?

    1. Qubus
      January 30, 2021

      I’ve suggested to my wife that we cease buying French wine.

    2. London Nick
      January 30, 2021

      Yes, I have been saying for a long time that ALL fish caught in British waters should, by law, be landed and processed in the UK. Obviously Boris hasn’t done this as he is too weak and cowardly and doesn’t want to upset his EU masters.

    3. jane4brexit
      January 31, 2021

      I wonder why we don’t use a tithe system, where we get to keep 10% of all fish caught in our waters by other nations, especially easy to enforce if landed in the UK but cash payment too might also be acceptable. With an estimated 78,913 tons of squid caught by Spain in our Falkland waters in 2018 for instance, let alone everything else caught, we would be back to cheap fish (and/or calamari) and chips at least or maybe there would even be enough for it to be distributed free (thinking of free lunches for school children/food banks etc. and remembering that cheap butter distributed in the early “butter mountain” days).

      I will post that Spain/Falkland waters link once I am on another device and also the Research for PECH Committee – Common Fisheries Policy for BREXIT” document, it is long but I interesting to dip into and shows how much of our British resource is taken and the figures quoted presumably do not include any amounts appallingly thrown back into the sea to die.

  10. BW
    January 30, 2021

    Since we have left, the EU have tried to control the UK and its decisions. We were going to get rid of the 38hr working week. That has been shelved, why? We were going to ban super trawlers, we haven’t, Why? The hypocrisy and speed they used the NI protocol to try to kick us again was staggering. You may be pressing government however I don’t think they are listening. We really do need to protect ourselves from the constant threats that we are all sick and tired of. Boris’s success with the vaccine, if nothing else shows the EU and its staggering incompetence to all the other 27.

    1. Qubus
      January 30, 2021

      Can we not change our minds and revert to WHO trading conditions?

  11. CvM
    January 30, 2021

    In order to help preserve the common travel area with our friends in the Republic of Ireland it would be a good idea to make a full, open and generous offer to give them access to, relatively speaking to UK, not that huge volume of vaccines so they can get their vaccination coverage up to that of NI as we work together to smooth out some points in the protocol

    1. a-tracy
      January 31, 2021

      Why? S Ireland have made their anti-UK positions well known. Personally I think the common travel area should only be between Northern and Southern Ireland.

  12. Andy
    January 30, 2021

    So you are admitting GB/NI trade is not smooth – as it was before. How can this be? Brexit was supposed to be only benefits – it wasn’t supposed to be a bureaucratic mess where you couldn’t even sell cheese to your own country.

    Reply Because we did not get Brexit for NI trade which is why I want changes.

    1. Qubus
      January 30, 2021

      WE naively assumed that the EU would operate in good faith. That this assumption was blatently incorrect has been clear throughout the whole of the Brexit negotiations.

      1. William Long
        January 30, 2021

        Please do not include me in your ‘We’.

        1. Alan Jutson
          January 31, 2021

          +1

    2. Peter Parsons
      January 30, 2021

      You did not “get Brexit” for NI trade because you voted down one solution to the NI/Republic border issue (May’s deal) and the only other possible solutions breach the Good Friday agreement.

      1. rose
        January 30, 2021

        The NI Protocol breaches the Belfast Agreement. Read it. That is why it must go.

        1. Peter Parsons
          January 31, 2021

          Is that the same NI Protocol that Boris Johnson threatened to invoke article 16 of in Parliament in January 13th?

          1. graham1946
            January 31, 2021

            It’s the one broken by the EU Commission on Saturday when they imposed a border, however temporary.

      2. a-tracy
        January 31, 2021

        Peter, what did May’s deal on Northern Ireland have to give up that Boris retained by not agreeing to the original May ‘deal’?

        1. Peter Parsons
          January 31, 2021

          May’s deal retained the integrity of the UK in a way that Johnson’s clearly does not.

          If you are someone who cares about retaining the integrity of the UK, there are only two possible solutions:

          1, May’s deal (or something similar in terms of the backstop negotiatied).
          2, Put up a hard border in Ireland between the North and the Republic.

          Take your pick.

          1. graham1946
            January 31, 2021

            Total rubbish. May’s deal was a complete sell out keeping us in the EU without any say and paying the money. A border is to protect the EU from the UK not the other way around so they should be the ones doing it. They did, on Saturday having spent 4 years saying they wouldn’t, then lost their bottle.

          2. a-tracy
            January 31, 2021

            Thanks Peter, but you didn’t answer my question, where are the details of May’s deal regarding the border with Northern Ireland and what did Boris not want to give up in order to refuse to sign this deal? You seem to be very well informed about it.

            I do not see why when the UK exports goods to Northern Ireland customs paperwork has to be filled out if it is to remain in Northern Ireland. If the delivery docket and invoice is to an organisation or person in Northern Ireland then that is the end of the transaction wherever an invisible border is. If Northern Ireland companies then ship south then that is for that person/organisation in Northern Ireland to fill in the customs paperwork and pay the Eu taxes. I don’t see why it has to be any more complicated than that.

          3. Peter Parsons
            January 31, 2021

            a-tracy – the details of May’s deal with regards to the NI/Republic border was to guarantee that there would be no border. That is what John Redwood and the other members of the ERG voted down in Parliament. We are where we are now because of them.

            You may not have liked May’s deal and what it meant, but it and the current arrangements were and are the only two solutions to avoiding a hard border in Ireland with all the consequences that that entails.

          4. a-tracy
            February 1, 2021

            Peter, I got the impression from this blog and the Guardian that the part of May’s deal that wouldn’t work with ‘leaving’ and organising worldwide trade agreements and setting our own priorities was because it stopped that and turned the UK into being ‘rule takers’ rather than ‘rule makers’. May’s deal was called a ‘soft Brexit’ by the likes of Owen Jones.

            As for the border between Northern and Southern Ireland isn’t that precisely what Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP is gagging for?

  13. The Prangwizard
    January 30, 2021

    Another example of the warlike attitudes displayed by the EU since Breixt was implimented and it exposes the weak solution to our exit agreed to by ‘Boris’.

    It is imperitive that your party and the government it forms gets off its knees when dealing with the EU.

    If the PM can’t or won’t take assertive action in this and all other matters he must be replaced.

  14. Richard
    January 30, 2021

    It’s one thing to screw up the vaccination policy as the EU has done. Fair enough, screw ups can happen anywhere, as we know very well in the U.K.

    But what is beyond belief is the attitude of the EU now. Eg Getting the Belgian police to raid a private company in a commercial dispute – that’s the sort of thing we expect from Putin. Macron’s lies about the AZ vaccine are worse by far than anything president trump ever said. Some idiotic commissioner has now said “perhaps the U.K. wants to start a vaccine war”. Boris and the govt are doing well not to rise to this buffoonery but it really should give voters and taxpayers around Europe pause for thought on the political union project on which they are engaged and the sort of people who seem to rise up through that system.

    Let’s indeed make use of it and sort out the nonsense on the NI border in the coming days.

  15. Jiminyjim
    January 30, 2021

    We have negotiated with this dreadful organisation in good faith. They have shown themselves to be lying bullies who only wish to preserve their own sclerotic organisation, even if it is at the expense of the lives of the citizens of their member countries. We need to rid ourselves of the EU finally by giving them a year’s notice that we intend to terminate the appalling WA

  16. William Long
    January 30, 2021

    Well, the EU has really shown its true colours, in a way the most avid Remainer, or even the BBC will find it hard to approve. It is amazing that Brussels did not even bother to consult Dublin. It does sound though as if their own people have forced a rethink. I can only hope that Boris and his merry people do what you suggest, and at least something good comes out of this fiasco.

  17. John Hatfield
    January 30, 2021

    And yet our feeble government will do nothing.

  18. MiC
    January 30, 2021

    If you wait long enough then yes, finally something that the UK – the hated NHS actually – has done better than the European Union will arise.

    The stopped clock is right twice a day.

    1. Fred.H
      January 30, 2021

      The NHS has watched, as you keep reminding us, the largest Covid death toll and infections throughout Europe. The only possible end to this terrible tragedy is for vaccinations to stem the tide. We should be proud that UK scientists willingly working alongside ‘Pharma’ Multinational businesses are at the forefront of success stories. It is very sad that others try to undermine due to their own failures. Science, production, ordering, politics – all inadequate.

    2. a-tracy
      January 31, 2021

      MiC sorry but the NHS can’t claim all successes are theirs alone but all failures are the governments. It doesn’t wash. The NHS was responsible for buying, storing and supplying PPE, Andy Burnham admitted such as the NW had control of their own buying. The NHS chose to send patients with covid out to Nursing Homes are you saying their had no clinical decisions at all. What about all the ventilators they asked for that oops sorry we don’t need and don’t work – was that a politicians decisions or the NHS?

      1. a-tracy
        January 31, 2021

        One more controversial one for you MiC. How is our NHS measuring up against Germany and other Countries in the West with better outcomes and less death. We know that France had more cases per test 17% more but that didn’t correlate with an extra 17% deaths following treatment.

        It will be interesting when people treated in hospital figures are compared around Europe. Is it that people are so terrified by our NHS they aren’t seeking treatment and prefer dying at home because we’re told our health service can’t cope.

  19. Stephen Reay
    January 30, 2021

    Little Macron says “Britain needs to decide who it’s allies are” , implying you can’t have more than one. Our government needs to stop calling them our friends as they are not. The government yesterday should have withdrawn our friendship and that of an ally after the EU’s stunt.

  20. No Longer Anonymous
    January 30, 2021

    I cannot believe the WHO lecturing us on stopping our vaccination roll out, as if it’s going to make any difference at all to the wider world. Let it be enough that our government funded institutions brought the world one of its most viable vaccines and that we’ve done it not-for-profit and anyone can make it if they choose.

  21. Fred.H
    January 30, 2021

    It is a clear warning, written bold, for any international business, that the EU is not to be trusted, showing willingness to impose bans on products lawfully contracted in favour of the wishes of ‘The 27’ much later wishes. International trading laws might be abandoned, and the everyday use of well understood ‘Best endeavours’ will suddenly mean ‘an obligation to supply with no excuses whatsoever’.

    1. a-tracy
      January 31, 2021

      Oh thats smart Fred, that was the argument used against the UK. The international businesses will be watching and the EU will be considered not to be trusted and wish to put themselves first.

  22. Lindsay McDougall
    January 30, 2021

    Since UK/EU trade is tariff free, the only paperwork that is needed ‘in the Irish Sea’ is a declaration that a container or a consignment is intended to be forwarded to the Irish Republic. No other freight moving between UK and Northern Ireland needs any paperwork at all. We need to amend the law and scrap the NI protocol. Get it done.

  23. steve
    January 30, 2021

    I think we need to have all our vaccines produced in this country, for us only. Don’t give any to the ungrateful EU.

    Their intent is to make sure they’re alright, we should do the same and not be so bloody soft.

    1. London Nick
      January 30, 2021

      And yet Boris is so stupid he has ordered 30 milion vaccines from Johnson & Johnson which he is happy for them to make … in Belgium! The man is beyond hope. He must go.

    2. Fred.H
      January 30, 2021

      later in the year we should have way more vaccines than we need. We should then think carefully about who needs the supply, and would administer wisely. Forget EU, China, Russia, probably USA. Perhaps Australia, Canada, NZ, India, S.Africa would still need help.

  24. Len Peel
    January 30, 2021

    NI is in the EU’s single market, not the UK’s. Boris agreed that. Surely you know?

  25. Edwardm
    January 30, 2021

    My anger with the EU knows no bounds. Why are we still paying money to this serial offender ?

  26. Alan Jutson
    January 30, 2021

    Do you think those complainers who were moaning about the internal market legislation as a safety measure will now change their minds.

    Given a leopard does not change its spots, and the EU has shown exactly how it plans and intends to treat the UK after just 6 weeks into an agreement, it looks like we need to take steps to protect ourselves.

  27. John Payne
    January 30, 2021

    Vaccines & Northern Ireland border.
    EU have exposed their insincere demands that there must not be a land border between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland by attempting to introduce a border when it suits them.
    Lessons our government must act upon are
    1. Assume they will attempt to introduce a border in future. We must react.
    2. Their well reported insincerity currently at borders are designed to be antagonising. We must react.
    3. The Government, British press and media must start treating and reporting the European Union as an adversary rather than a partner.
    4. We must put a sunset clause on the restrictions of our trade between mainland and Northern Ireland.
    5. About time Republic of Ireland recognises they have surrendered their Sovereignty to the European Commission and leave EU, and return to the Irish Punt currency. That would solve all problems created by EU and a swifter way to a United Ireland.

  28. John Payne
    January 30, 2021

    We must consider our position if a new Covid-19 variant requires new vaccines to be produced in the Autumn. Vaccines must be produced in Great Britain, so Government must plan production facilities now.

  29. rose
    January 30, 2021

    So Michael Gove is full of love, forgiveness, and charity for the EU but not for Sir Desmond!

  30. London Nick
    January 30, 2021

    Although the EU has realised the folly of its ban on vaccines to Northern Ireland and reversed that decision, they have maintained their ban on the Pfizer vaccine being sent to the rest of Britain. They are therefore intent on stealing the vaccines we have ordered and paid for, and effectively killing some of our citizens. And what is Boris doing? NOTHING.

    Meanwhile, that vile enemy of the UK, Macron, has the brass neck to say that the UK must decide if we wish to be friends of the EU, as ‘half friends’ is not good enough!!! It is time that Boris – and the rest of the Conservative Party MPs – made it clear that the EU is acting as our ENEMY and we will henceforth treat them as such.

    As for the Irish Sea border splitting the UK in two, Tory MPs must rebel and make it clear that they will not support the government in the lobbies until this is sorted, and if that is not done by the time of the budget they will actually vote AGAINST the Finance Bill.

  31. formula57
    January 30, 2021

    Another day of multiple diary entries here. Sir John, you are spoiling us.

  32. Robert Mcdonald
    January 30, 2021

    I think it is important to point out how much the UK, Boris, has contributed to the speed of development of the vaccines currently on line. He picked an experienced and successful entrepreneur, Bingham, to lead the vaccine procurement team. She invigorated the biochemical industry by committing UK money to purchase vaccines still early in development in advance. With this certainty the industry could throw resources into production to get vaccines soonest. Boris must take credit for his inspired and courageous decision.

  33. DOM
    January 30, 2021

    John’s party signed us up this arrangement and now John’s crowing about what is admittedly EU stupidity. I blame the Tories, Marxist Labour and the EU playing with our lives for political gain.

    John should condemn his own leader’s betrayal of the UK and N, Ireland

    1. Mark B
      January 31, 2021

      Alas this is the thing. We signed a ‘deal’ with a devil and now must dance to its tune.

  34. Fedupsoutherner
    January 30, 2021

    Some within the EU are complaining that wealthy Germany and France are buying up extra vaccines. Are they going to share their surplus or just take the UK’S?

    1. Mark B
      January 31, 2021

      Take the UK’s !

  35. Alan Paul Joyce
    January 30, 2021

    Dear Mr. Redwood,

    @Andy @MiC

    I am very suprised that we have not yet had the benefit of your take on the recent actions of your ‘beloved’ EU being as it is, of course, the most-enlightened, civilized and democratic project the world has ever seen?

    1. Fred.H
      January 30, 2021

      a political Cosa Nostra! Currently trying to become an international despised organisation.

    2. Mark B
      January 31, 2021

      That is because they are Trolls. If this was a website / diary about comic book superheroes they would be taking the opposite view of everyone else just to get their kicks. That is why I advocate never responding to them.

  36. jerry
    January 30, 2021

    This needs to be treated calmly, but as a warning, with regards the security of the UK food supplies. The govt either needs to back our UK farmers, growers and UK equipment manufactures by unshackling them from over zealous and politicised regulations, or find alternate markets to import from (and hopefully export into). If eurocrats can pull these sort of stunts with medicines they could also do so with food, and perhaps less obviously with seed and fertilisers, even EU manufactured agricultural machinery.

    1. Fred.H
      January 31, 2021

      very pertinent, well said.

    2. graham1946
      January 31, 2021

      And we are also beholden to the French for power thanks to the green cretins closing our good power stations before we have replacements, all in the name of EU solidarity no doubt which is now a proven falsity.

  37. jon livesey
    January 30, 2021

    Forget that it’s the EU for a moment and just ask: If we don’t back NI on this one, what do we look like?

  38. Mactheknife
    January 30, 2021

    The EU has well and truly shown their true colours. What will our PM do ?

    ‘Nothing’ is the answer you are searching for.

    Retaliation ? Its just not cricket old chap.

    We have a bunch of spineless, gutless and clueless Cabinet members.

  39. Margaret Brandreth-
    January 30, 2021

    Pugnacious selfishness . Don’t expect stupid people to doubt themselves , they are always right . We hear less from the intelligent ones as they leave room for mistake.
    ;

  40. NigelE
    January 30, 2021

    Off topic:
    Sir John, I like the new website design but the rolling advert for your books is extremely distracting.

    1. Fred.H
      January 31, 2021

      agreed, but don’t like the design either.

  41. William Long
    January 30, 2021

    Please do not include me in your ‘We’.

  42. mancunius
    January 31, 2021

    “The EU’s ill judged actions strengthen our hand”
    Unfortunately, the Commission has realized that, which is why the Art. 16 invocation has been swiftly revoked. Reading Art. 16, it is clear that it was never relevant to RoI vaccine export: its wording is “If the application of this Protocol leads to serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist, or to diversion of trade…” and that cannot apply to a mere paranoid suspicion.
    As Arlene Foster has proposed the UK would be far more justified in applying Art. 16, as UK trading between the mainland and NI has been already seriously disturbed by unjustified and clearly malicious EU restrictions that we were assured would not happen, and that in turn has led to British companies being forced to cease trading with NI. Sack Gove, please; pursue the IMB in the form we were promised; and tell the EU to eat cake.

  43. ChrisS
    January 31, 2021

    Andrew Marr was up to his old tricks again this morning, constantly interrupting Liz Truss and giving her a hard time over trade. He concentrating on the theme that our overall trade will be damaged by leaving the EU, rather than the success we will get from exporting more and achieving better growth through trading with the rest of the world.
    What a contrast between the way he treated M Truss and Labour’s Rachel Reeves in the same programme.
    There will be lots of complaints, and rightly so.

    1. ChrisS
      January 31, 2021

      I have now submitted a formal complaint to the BBC as follows :

      Watching the Andrew Marr programme this morning, he gave a sympathetic and gentle interview with Labour’s Rachel Reeves and I did not pick up a single occasion on which he interrupted her.

      The contrast with the interview with Liz Truss was marked. Marr constantly interrupted the minister and adopted an aggressive attitude, demonstrating his clear, personal dislike over our having left the EU, concentrating on unquantifiable negative effects on our trade, and giving short shrift to the opportunities for trade with the wider world where growth is much higher.

      This was clear and obvious political bias.

      Really, it’s about time that the BBC takes on board the fact that we have now left the EU and tell presenters and interviewers that, in future, they should concentrate on looking forward rather than back.

      1. Fred.H
        January 31, 2021

        still watching Marr? Thats always an hour of your life you’ll never get back!

  44. Diane
    January 31, 2021

    The Article 16 ‘mistake’ has the hallmarks of yet another unilateral decision. Where was / were the person/s to put on the very obvious brakes required, only applied once the horse had bolted. We saw another largely unchecked decision in 2015 from Mrs Merkel. Both examples with grave consequences, though arguably one with a tint of a humanitarian motive, the other one largely one of vindictiveness and assertion of power with, let’s say, a hint of backside covering ( just to maintain politeness on here ) And talking of politeness, no, Mr Gove, the EU Commission did not make a mistake.

  45. a-tracy
    February 1, 2021

    John, I read your tweet about Eu blocks on UK fish. On what grounds are the blocks in place? What type of fish are they? Where is the origin of the fish that goes into cat food do UK companies make it? Birds Eye etc. do they have no ideas of how to present these fish to the British consumers? We need to get much smarter in the UK with BBC cooking programs, what we serve in hospitals and schools, what we put in frozen ready-meals.

    We have lots of unity and integration into the UK, the population is a different make-up to what it was in the 1970’s many nations have come to live here from Europe, Africa, India – don’t tell me there isn’t a new market for fish I just don’t believe it. What are our British supermarkets doing? The German supermarkets are always banging on their adverts they are selling British produce etc. and they are the discount retailers! It seems some large stores don’t want to help out British fisherman, farmers and food creators.

    If Greggs have managed to make vegan sausage rolls popular then our food producers need to get their acts together. I read yesterday that an American fast food sandwich store was reporting they had shortages of Carrots, cheese, eggs! What – you read one article saying British cheese makers can’t sell their cheese then another saying there are shortages.

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