EU showing clear disunity over tragic vaccine mess
IF the EU was a stage play it would come under the heading tragi-comedy – or should that just be tragedy.
The villains would be played by Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel.
It is fortunate for France and Germany that these two leaders will soon be redundant after their attempts to undermine the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Under the guise of concern for the safety of their citizens their motives were purely political.
First they stopped the over-65s receiving the vaccine questioning its safety and then they jumped on the fact that fewer than 40 people out of 17 million people vaccinated had developed blood clots.
The vaccine has been cleared by medical organisations all over the world and the result of Macron and Merkel’s leadership is that Germany and France are heading for another lockdown with infections spiralling out of control again.
Now in a pique of jealousy over our vaccine roll-out, the EU is threatening to stop the supply of the very vaccine that they distrust.
The vaccine that, together with Sweden, we financed and developed.
It is no wonder that Denmark has broken ranks and is purchasing its own vaccines from Israel.
Get ready for more countries leaving the EU. Jack Haynes, Swinton
Restore Aid funding
I agree with Steve Roman (UK’s nuclear move would break international treaty, Viewpoints, March 20).
We should restore UK Aid to our internationally-leading 0.7 per cent of national income. It would do more to prevent our challenges than threatening people globally and giving billions to the US arms industry that could have be spent on green jobs here.
Being perceived as playing fast and loose with international treaties whenever it suits Rambo wannabes puts us in the same league as irresponsible and insecure juntas around the world. It is not mature and reliable statecraft.
However I’m not holding my breath for the aid restoration.
Johnson’s weasel words ‘...when the fiscal situation allows’ gives him space to worm.
If he really wanted to help he could lead on economic justice and debt (as did Gordon Brown), trade justice, or demanding our tax-payer funded AstraZeneca vaccine’s patents be waived allowing a ‘#PeoplesVaccine’ to be produced affordably for all.
J. Spass, Castlefield
Crackdown on bus yobs
I would think anyone who uses the trams or buses on a regular basis have seen anti-social or violent behaviour at some time.
Both bus and tram companies are saying some services may have to be cut if incidents continue to rise (M.E.N., March 22). I think the only answer is much tougher sentences and higher fines. Too many do-gooders look for other options – I’m afraid they do not work. Phil Meakin, Salford