Ursula von der Leyen - A Case Study in Rewarding Failure

 

The last few days have been somewhat of a clusterfuck for the EU Commission under the "leadership" of Ursula von der Leyen.

Not content with libelling AstraZenca and publishing the confidential contract whilst leaving in links to the sensitive redacted parts of the contract, VDL and her team then blocked exports of covid vaccine and imposed a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland without even telling the Irish and British that they were going to do it.

Unsurprisingly that action brought down a firestorm of criticism from around the world and, within a few hours, VDL was forced to about face and rescind the hard border and promise that vaccine supplies to the UK would not be blockaded.

Should this clusterfuck come as a surprise?

No!

VDL's career has been riddled with screw ups and allegations of corruption eg:

- during her time as German defence minister the Bundeswehr's condition was described a "catastrophic" by a former defence minister

- none of the German submarine fleet was seaworthy

- German soldiers took part in a multinational exercise with broom handles for guns

- VDL faced an investigation for corruption and wrongdoing wrt using outside consultants

- VDL has even faced allegations of plagiarism for a thesis she wrote whilst studying medicine

It is therefore not surprising that she was promoted to EC President, as that was the most effective and least embarrassing means of removing her from German politics.

However, as #VaccineGate has shown she is now in a position where she can wreak even more havoc.

Will she resign?

No, of course not, she is already taking credit for AstraZeneca's promise to increase vaccine shipments to the EU bu 9 million to 40 million during Q1.

Step forward on vaccines.@AstraZeneca will deliver 9 million additional doses in the first quarter (40 million in total) compared to last week’s offer & will start deliveries one week earlier than scheduled.

The company will also expand its manufacturing capacity in Europe.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 31, 2021

This is all very well and nice, except that is the very same deal that she rejected only a few days earlier!

This is the very same offer you rejected a few days ago! https://t.co/tHn09vKrRz

— Ken Frost (@ken_frost) January 31, 2021

Given her talent for clustefucks, it is likely that in order to get rid of her she will have to be promoted to another high office in the very near future.

Goodness knows what/where that will be!

Lord Frost To Maintain Brexit Role

 

David (Lord) Frost’s title will be PM’s representative for Brexit and international relations, am told

This acknowledges - rightly - there’s more to do. Grace periods end. Teething problems endure.

Brexit is “done” in name only? (BIDINO)

— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) January 29, 2021

German MEP Threatens UK and USA - #VaccineGate

 

German MEP threatens UK and USA! https://t.co/DSG2JkX1r0

— Ken Frost (@ken_frost) January 28, 2021

A German MEP, for reasons best know to himself, has just threatened the UK and USA.

The lessons of European history are seemingly quickly forgotten, namely that you shouldn't fight wars on two fronts!

AstraZeneca (A European Company) Gives Two Fingers To The EU Commission

 

Fascinating interview with Astrazeneca CEO Pascal Soriot: Definitely worth 5-10 minutes of your time... https://t.co/hvUVRPijku via @Repubblica

— Darren McCaffrey (@DarrenEuronews) January 26, 2021

NEW: AstraZeneca refusing to attend a meeting with EU officials planned for this evening - according to Commission

Instead they will respond in writing to EU Health Commissioner @SKyriakidesEU demand for more information

— Darren McCaffrey (@DarrenEuronews) January 27, 2021

  

Good for them!

The EU Throws its Toys and Vaccines Out of The Pram

 

In a remarkable display of petulance, the EU is picking a fight with both Pfizer and AstraZeneca over the supply of vaccines.

The EU claims that it is not happy with the supply side of the vaccine rollout, and is threatening to block exports from the EU of vaccines manufactured by both Pfizer and AZ.

The UK might be affected in some part by a blockade of Pfizer exports. However, as the majority of the AZ vaccine is manufactured and packed in the UK, any nonsensical blockade will not materially affect AZ supplies.

To add grist to the EU's mill of petulance, Handelsblatt published a piece that can only be described as utter bollocks; claiming the the AZ vaccine was only 8% or less effective in older age groups. Suffice to say AZ are furious with this lie, and have categorically denied it. 

The lie has forced the German Health Ministry to issue a statement stating that Handelsblatt is talking bollocks.

statement from the German health ministry:

"At first glance it seems that the [newspaper] reports have mixed up two things: about 8% of those tested in the AstraZeneca efficacy study were between 56 and 69, only 3-4 per cent over 70 (MHRA Approval Public Assessment Report)." https://t.co/rPW7RQimiH

— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) January 26, 2021

This in itself is ironic, given that the German Health Ministry has been briefing against AZ over the past few days.

Anyhoo, whilst the EU carries on throwing a tantrum (in order to deflect from its botched vaccine rollout) there are a couple of wee points that those with calmer heads may care to consider:

1 The EMA has not yet approved AZ's vaccine.

2 There is more than a good chance that, given this nonsense, AZ (which is complying with its side of the supply agreement) may terminate its contract with the EU.

thread

EU VACCINE SUPPLY

1. If, as seems likely, the AstraZeneca/EU Advanced Purchase Agreement (APA) is similar to the Curevac/EU APA, AstraZeneca's legal position in regard to delay and/or reduction of supply appears strong.

— Barrister's Horse (@BarristersHorse) January 26, 2021

Peston explains very clealry how the EU screwed this up from day one:

The important difference between AstraZeneca's relationship with the UK and with the EU, and the reason it has fallen behind schedule on 50m vaccine doses promised to the EU, is that the UK agreed the deal with AZ a full three months before the EU did - which gave...

— Robert Peston (@Peston) January 26, 2021

 

At the end of the day, the EU has mounted a disregardful smear campaign against a company that is trying to help vaccinate the population of Europe.

For why?

To cover up it woefully inadequate vaccine rollout!

Fishing Industry Messages The Government

The fishing industry letting the Government know what they think of the #Brexit deal... pic.twitter.com/Sj8VycNrxM

— Paul McNamara (@PGMcNamara) January 18, 2021

BBC Abandons Brexit Blog for Lack of Bad News

 

BBC Abandons Live Brexit Blog for Lack of Bad News https://t.co/aZgoyggsuG pic.twitter.com/k0NDjymxAK

— Media Guido (@MediaGuido) January 4, 2021