Revealed: How Boris Johnson requested spies to plan a raid on a Dutch Covid vaccine manufacturing unit after the EU ‘stole’ 5 million doses destined for Britain through the pandemic

Boris Johnson requested the safety providers to attract up plans to raid a Dutch Covid vaccine manufacturing unit after the EU ‘stole’ hundreds of thousands of doses destined for Britain through the pandemic, it has been claimed.

Diplomatic sources stated the previous prime minister was ‘enraged’ after the EU successfully blocked the export of 5 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab on the top of the vaccine rollout in March 2021.

At one level Mr Johnson requested the safety providers to research ‘army choices’ for retrieving the doses from the plant in Leiden, within the Netherlands.

The thought was solely deserted after diplomats warned it will scupper relations – and jeopardise the availability of vaccines from vegetation elsewhere within the EU.

Mr Johnson will allude to the extraordinary episode when he seems earlier than the Covid Inquiry this week. His written proof is predicted to underline his frustration on the actions of the EU, which was fighting its personal vaccine rollout on the time.

Two diplomatic sources instructed the Mail that, behind the scenes, Mr Johnson was so offended in regards to the interference from Brussels that he thought of ordering a covert raid to grab the vaccines which had been paid for by the UK Authorities. 

One supply stated: ‘The EU had mainly sequestered 5 million doses of our vaccine. In fact the PM was enraged – they had been placing British lives in danger to make a political level and distract from their very own failings.

‘He ordered officers to take a look at all choices for responding, and that did embody asking the safety providers to take a look at whether or not there have been any choices for bodily going and taking the vaccines from the Netherlands and bringing them right here.’

A second supply stated the EU’s ‘Trumpian’ actions had ‘set again relations with Brussels for not less than a 12 months’. 

The supply added: ‘The EU couldn’t settle for the truth that we had negotiated a greater cope with AstraZeneca and they also primarily impounded these vaccines within the Netherlands. They had been successfully stolen; it was Trumpian.

‘Boris was infuriated, as you’d count on, and he needed to take a look at each avenue for responding. It went properly past commerce retaliation; it was diplomatic, safety, all the things.

‘He felt he was combating for British lives and at one level he did ask whether or not there have been army choices for simply going and getting these vaccines.

‘Clearly that will have had main repercussions, not least when it comes to different vaccine provides that had been being manufactured within the EU. I don’t understand how far the concept received. 

‘However at that time the EU’s actions had been so aggressive that it didn’t appear such an outlandish thought.’ 

A spokesman for Mr Johnson declined to touch upon the claims, saying solely that he was ‘trying ahead to aiding the inquiry with its vital work’ subsequent week.

However a senior ally of the previous PM acknowledged he had been ‘infuriated’ by the actions of a supposed ally. 

‘Boris was all the time ready to make use of no matter means vital to make sure that the UK received the vaccines it wanted and had rightly obtained,’ the buddy stated. 

‘He had no real interest in enjoying the EU’s political video games and the petty politics some displayed over this subject had been completely infuriating.’

The diplomatic disaster was triggered when the European Fee threatened to dam the export to the UK of 5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from a ‘ending plant’ run by the Dutch agency Halix in March 2021.

On the time, Brussels was in dispute with the Anglo-Swedish biotech large, which had warned manufacturing issues meant it may solely ship 1 / 4 of deliberate provides to the EU. AstraZeneca refused to divert provides from UK vegetation and Brussels responded by threatening to ban exports from its personal territory.

European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen stated the measure was about ‘ensuring that Europe will get its justifiable share’.

Mr Johnson was solely dissuaded from retaliatory motion after officers warned it may jeopardise the availability of an excellent bigger batch of Pfizer vaccines being manufactured elsewhere within the EU. British officers had been capable of substitute a lot of the Dutch vaccines with provides from India, permitting the rollout within the UK to proceed.

In his proof this week, Mr Johnson can also be anticipated to reference a separate episode wherein the Fee threatened to impose border controls on the island of Eire to stop vaccines produced within the EU being despatched to Northern Eire.

The EU’s strategy led to what sources describe as a ‘breakdown’ in relations. Mr Johnson is claimed to have had a ‘livid’ name with French president Emmanuel Macron, who was suspected of encouraging the EU’s hardline stance, and an ‘even worse’ one with Ms Von der Leyen.

In his proof, Mr Johnson will cite the UK’s vaccine rollout programme as proof that the British Authorities ‘received the massive calls proper’ through the pandemic.

The UK was the primary nation on this planet to license a Covid vaccine, and had one of many quickest rollouts. The previous PM is predicted to apologise for errors made by the Authorities through the pandemic however stress that in lots of areas the UK did properly, akin to opening up society quickly after the ultimate lockdown. 

Amongst different issues, he’ll acknowledge the massive ache attributable to the stunning loss of life toll, however level out that the UK ended up ‘in the course of the pack’ for extra loss of life charges.