Seriously? Rejoiner Adonis says UK should have STAYED in EMA – despite EU vaccine chaos
EU ‘in absolute panic’ over their vaccine rollout says Adler
Britain’s departure from the EU meant the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was able to approve vaccines including the Pfizer jab for use several weeks before they were given the green light by the EMA. The EU has since run into serious problems with both its procurement and rollout of vaccinations, with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen under serious pressure.
As a result, EU countries have so far given first doses to about three percent of their populations, compared with 14 percent for Britain, according to Our World in Data.
Undeterred, Lord Adonis, a tireless anti-Brexit campaigner who is now pushing for the UK to rejoin EU, suggested quitting the EMA was a mistake.
He tweeted: “We should have stayed in the European Medicines Agency, & we should have given an emergency UK vaccine approval, as allowed under its rules, when our authoritative medical experts said this was right.
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We’ve left Andrew. Surely you’ve cried enough tears
Twitter user
“Both positions are/were in the UK’s national interest, as I said at the time.”
However, his post was met scorn by other users.
One replied: “We’ve left Andrew. Surely you’ve cried enough tears.
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“Focus that determination on something positive for once.
“With that tenacity, you could take on the world….but no, not rejoin the EU. That’s one step too far.”
Another added: “Back peddling much…You know as well as anyone else, that had we not left the EU we would have joined the EU vaccine program and would NOT be in the position we are in now with vaccines.
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“To suggest otherwise is a lie.”
Another suggested: Just heard from the EU they have given up on the UK.
“They have realised Brexit is final so all secret agents have been recalled to Brussels to be reassigned. Goodbye Andrew Adonis!!!!!”
A third got straight to the point, asking: “Are you still blathering?”
Lord Adonis was not without his supporters however – one pointed out: “Just a dream – but suppose we had not kicked the European medicines agency out of the UK at the worst possible moment…”
Another referred to concerns about the efficacy of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine in people over the wage of 65.
They added: “Many people in UK seem unaware that most developed countries have not rushed through approval of AZ. Switzerland is just the latest.”
Lord Adonis is correct to assert that exiting EU rules did in fact permit the UK to distribute a vaccine for temporary use in its domestic market.
Speaking in December, MHRA chief executive Dr June Raine, said: “We have been able to authorise the supply of this vaccine using provisions under European law, which exist until January 1.”
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