Boris Johnson requested spies to plan raid on Dutch Covid vaccine manufacturing unit

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 throughout 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 peak of the vaccine rollout in March 2021.

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

The concept 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 battling its personal vaccine rollout on the time.

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

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

One supply stated: ‘The EU had basically sequestered five million doses of our vaccine. Of course the PM was enraged – they were putting British lives at risk to make a political point and distract from their own failings.

‘He ordered officials to look at all options for responding, and that did include asking the security services to look at whether there were any options for physically going and taking the vaccines from the Netherlands and bringing them here.’

A second supply stated the EU’s ‘Trumpian’ actions had ‘set back relations with Brussels for at least a year’. 

The supply added: ‘The EU could not accept the fact that we had negotiated a better deal with AstraZeneca and so they essentially impounded these vaccines in the Netherlands. They were effectively stolen; it was Trumpian.

‘Boris was infuriated, as you would expect, and he wanted to look at every avenue for responding. It went well beyond trade retaliation; it was diplomatic, security, everything.

‘He felt he was fighting for British lives and at one point he did ask whether there were military options for just going and getting these vaccines.

‘Obviously that would have had major repercussions, not least in terms of other vaccine supplies that were being manufactured in the EU. I don’t know the way far the thought acquired. 

The former PM’s written proof is predicted to underline his frustration on the actions of the EU, which was battling its personal vaccine rollout on the time

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

A spokesman for Mr Johnson declined to touch upon the claims, saying solely that he was ‘looking forward to assisting the inquiry with its important work’ subsequent week.

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

‘Boris was always prepared to use whatever means necessary to ensure that the UK got the vaccines it needed and had rightly obtained,’ the good friend stated. 

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

Mr Johnson requested the safety providers to research ‘military options’ for retrieving the doses from the Dutch AstraZeneca vaccine plant in Leiden, within the Netherlands (pictured)

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

At 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 Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the measure was about ‘making sure that Europe gets its fair share’.

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

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the measure was about ‘making sure that Europe gets its fair share’

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

The EU’s method led to what sources describe as a ‘breakdown’ in relations. Mr Johnson is alleged to have had a ‘furious’ 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 Government ‘got the big calls right’ throughout the pandemic.

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

Among different issues, he’ll acknowledge the massive ache brought on by the surprising loss of life toll, however level out that the UK ended up ‘in the middle of the pack’ for extra loss of life charges.