“The [ruling party] CDU has done very badly in local elections and state level elections. <\/span><\/p>\n “[European Commission President] Ursula von der Leyen is principally a CDU political animal so there is widespread anger about their perceived failure to deal with the vaccine rollout. <\/span><\/p>\n “There’s a whole lot of political stuff going on that is for domestic consumption. <\/span><\/p>\n “[French President Emmanuel] Macron is in a similar position where he will be facing the electorate in about a year’s time for the Presidency. <\/span><\/p>\n “There’s all that political stuff which we are not particularly sighted on but I am sure it is part of the context for them doing what they are doing and saying what they are saying.”<\/span><\/p>\n The EU agreed to a proposal on Friday which would allow the European Commission to impose export bans.<\/span><\/p>\n This came despite opposition from countries like Holland and Belgium as well as criticism of “a vaccine war” from former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker who argued that the EU needs to remember its special relationship with the UK.<\/span><\/p>\n While an export ban has not been imposed yet critics point out that the UK and AstraZeneca are being attacked as a result of the Commission’s own failures in ensuring a proper rollout of the lockdown across the bloc.<\/span><\/p>\n The machinations appear to be having a negative impact on Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n On Friday Canada demanded assurances from the EU that vaccine supplies would not be confiscated and it is understood that Novovax have yet to sign a contract with the EU because of concerns over the treatment of AstraZeneca.<\/span><\/p>\n But the senior UK minister said that part of this was the bitterness still felt by the EU over Brexit was behind the attacks.<\/span><\/p>\n The minister noted: “We underestimate in the UK to what extent Brexit was a humiliation for the EU. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n “It as a very difficult thing for them to deal with. This is an organisation that has always expanded and brought more people in and for the first time to have your second biggest net contributor essentially leave the club is a problem. It’s quite traumatic.”<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/vaccine-1415796.jpg?r=1616866251431\")
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