Its a case of a classic over-reach by the EU. Vaccination programmes are primarily a logistics exercise but plans have to be drawn up by a region by region basis. Even a national, one size fits all approach has its drawbacks.

Demographics, infrastructure, population density, cultural expectations and a range of other factors which are best handled on a local level come into play and the EU is simply too unwieldy to coordinate all of that. The UK would probably have been better placed than most anyway but the truth is that the EU had no place in getting involved.

And now it is deep in the s***. Throw in the French no doubt trying to push their own vaccine, which I understand has been now ditched, and you have a huge mess.

Hence all the distraction with the attack on AZ.

C'est la Covid.

I find it incredible that some countries can approve a vaccine and others not. It’s either safe or it isn’t, so why the prevarication?

The Robert Peston tweet is good reading.
The EU are absolutely about to stop Pfizer sending us what we ordered so that they can have it because they are all looking mighty stupid over there over the vaccine.
On another note - the post Brexit issues so far are all about us and them trying to make it difficult for each other rather than using common sense for the common good and the man in the street and businesses are those being worst affected.
They need to get over themselves and fast because it absolutely doesn't need to be this difficult and in the interim there are lots of Companies making financial hay from us all.

This afternoon, Boris said the following. Many probably judged it as a plea. It's not, it's a threat. Emphasis my own:

“So I don't want to see restrictions on the supply of PPE, drugs or vaccines or their ingredients across borders.”

If the EU restrict exports of Pfizer, the UK should restrict exports of the high-purity lipids used in production of the Pfizer vaccine.

I literally f***ing dare them.

Meanwhile (and this is particularly important), here is Astra-Zeneca's CEO robustly rebutting the EU claims in a very in-depth interview:

[Link]

In this interview, he essentially confirms the Peston (yuk, spit) series of tweets. He also states that:

- The UK production plants are much more efficient than the Continental plants. This is because they had a 3 month headstart (why was that?) and have ironed out the kinks in production.

- The UK approach of delay between doses is, if anything, better than the existing prescription, and is definitely the best way to proceed.

- The EU does not have a legal leg to stand on in terms of litigation. But he's being kind and ascribing it to the EU being "tired and emotional".

- The agreement with UKgov was focussed on supply, not (as the case with the EU) price (given it's a non-profit venture anyway). To that end, the UK supply is safeguarded against EU actions.