Common sense not sabre rattling will save EU lives

THERE will be relief across Europe if top EU figures stop threatening to disrupt the flow of vaccines and instead pull out the stops to ensure ordinary people get life-saving jabs.

The European Commission and the UK Government made a joint commitment yesterday evening to “create a win-win situation and expand vaccine supply for all our citizens”.The welcome pledge came after the Commission proposed tough export controls on vaccines.

Boris Johnson gave a stern warning that businesses might think twice before investing in countries where “arbitrary blockades are imposed”.

Eurocrats may well be in a panic at the EU’s failure to secure sufficient jabs for the populations of its remaining member states. They will be horrified at the spread of a third Covid wave, forcing new lockdowns.

Britain can take pride in our scientists’ role in vaccine development and in our success at immunising at-risk groups but the EU should not think that our achievements come at a cost to its member states.

We desperately want to see the curse of Covid banished from all of Europe, with fewer people dying. We look forward to the lifting of all travel restrictions and the full resumption of job-generating trade.

European politicians can help make this a reality by stopping sabre rattling and instead working with the UK. It is sadly clear that many within the EU elite need an urgent dose of common sense.