The Brexit Blog

The Brexit Blog
News and comment on the Brexit process, as Britain tries to leave the EU.

Thursday 29 July 2021

The EU Has Blood on its Hands


A study published in the Lancet this week found similar safety profiles for the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, and drove a coach and horses through concerns about the safety of the AZ jab by finding that incidences of blood clots were far higher among COVID cases than people who had the vaccine. The real-world study of more than a million people found the number of blood clots among AZ and Pfizer recipients was similar. It concluded that either way, you were far more likely to get a blood clot if you rejected a vaccine and caught COVID.

Politico reports that British government officials reacted with genuine fury at the actions of those who needlessly destroyed the reputation of the AstraZeneca vaccine — the jab that had the best chance of vaccinating the developing world but now suffers from low uptake. 

Earlier this week, POLITICO quoted a European official who “faulted EU countries for making decisions based on ’emotion’ rather than science,” revealing that “scientists and politicians quietly blamed Brexit” for the row over the AZ jab. 

A government official told Playbook: 

“The European leaders who trashed the AstraZeneca vaccine have blood on their hands. We now know what we all suspected is true, that they did it out of spite for Britain because of Brexit.

When the history books are written, they’ll say these people were directly responsible for the deaths of thousands in developing countries who won’t take AZ because of their anti-vaxx scare stories.”

Tuesday 27 July 2021

Thanks But No Thanks - UK Rejects EU NI Proposals

Boris Johnson has rejected Brussels’ latest attempt to resolve problems with the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland, insisting that the withdrawal agreement signed last year must be renegotiated.

A series of proposals published by the European Commission on Monday with the aim of easing implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol were said to be insufficient for the scale of the problems.

The dance continues, with a view, probably, to the UK tearing up the protocol.

Monday 26 July 2021

EU Trashed AZ Out of Spite for Brexit

Thursday 22 July 2021

"We Cannot Go On As We Are!" - Yes We Will!


 

The EU have responded to Lord Frost's statement that "we cannot go on as we are", by saying that the EU is ready to "continue to seek creative solutions" on trade between Britain and Northern Ireland, but 

"will not agree to a renegotiation of the protocol."
The ball is back with Lord Frost.

Wednesday 21 July 2021

Whither The NI Protocol?


 

Today the government will publicly lay down its terms for dealing with the mess that is the Northern Ireland protocol.

It is reported that Johnson told Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin in a phone call yesterday that all goods made in Great Britain should be able to go into Northern Ireland without checks.

-Abandonment?

-Renegotiation?

-Stickers on products?

The USA has made it clear that it will be watching what we say.

Thursday 1 July 2021

Frost Declares Temporary Armistice in Sausage War


 

As Frost correctly notes, the protocol is not working as it was hoped; something needs to be changed, otherwise it will be abandoned.