I must say, I am beginning to wonder if there is something fishy going on at the Halix plant in NL, and cause for legitimate EU griping. Have AZN deliberately withheld the application for EU approval so that it can use the vaccine substance produced there to meet its UK contractual obligations?
Something odd is going on in that whole saga, and that seems to make the most sense of the facts.
I've seen that suggestion too. However if this were the case, why on earth hasn't the EU taken AZ to court, gone into the factory, dragged AZ over the coals, enforced the EU's contractual rights?
They haven't. Instead they're considering an insane option, a vaccine war with the UK, not AZ. Which strongly suggests this is bollocks. The EU is just desperate, now. Under intense political pressure from its voters
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
If they went low, I'd be inclined to go high. Wonder if the Magnitsky provisions might come in handy; I'm sure someone could spin up an argument for denying shipment of contracted items during a pandemic as a human rights abuse.
"The right to health is the economic, social, and cultural right to a universal minimum standard of health to which all individuals are entitled. The concept of a right to health has been enumerated in international agreements which include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities."
Excellent. I'm sure someone from the Treasury will be reading this thread.
With the defence review coming up I have been discussing the latest pre-announcement announcements with a friend who is a former RAF strategic planner and intelligence officer. He recommended the following link to give some insight into the thinking within the MOD at the moment.
I see @Leon is having his weekly "hot war with the EU" masturbate-a-thon
Well we all know Leon will enlist in this war.
If the eu blocked pfizer doses from being exported I have to say I dont see how we can just be quiescent and accept it
We won't.
I just find it amusing the hawks are up for war but aren't prepared to sign up and fight.
Oh I've just realised, because Leon's heard Pfizer blockade and he thinks it means he might not get his viagra.
Makes perfect sense.
You say we won't. What do you propose we do. I agree a war is not the answer but anything we do will have the remainers crying. You I believe are a remainer so what do you propose we should do?
I said we won't be quiescent and accept it.
I'm just saying it won't be a military response as Leon hopes.
So you suggest we do what?
If for example we cut off the pfizer precursors in response......how does that play out in europe are they going to be all "hmm maybe we didn't want to do that" or are they going to be "Perfidious albion....double down" I suspect the latter
Rise above it and look to expand our vaccine production facilities and make ourselves the number one location in Europe for pharma.
Yes. I'd suggest the government should be guided by what Pfizer would like us to do. That might be no change or it might be divert the precursors.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Ditto, except we should tell them that we would react immediately and disproportionately...
I must say, I am beginning to wonder if there is something fishy going on at the Halix plant in NL, and cause for legitimate EU griping. Have AZN deliberately withheld the application for EU approval so that it can use the vaccine substance produced there to meet its UK contractual obligations?
Something odd is going on in that whole saga, and that seems to make the most sense of the facts.
I've seen that suggestion too. However if this were the case, why on earth hasn't the EU taken AZ to court, gone into the factory, dragged AZ over the coals, enforced the EU's contractual rights?
They haven't. Instead they're considering an insane option, a vaccine war with the UK, not AZ. Which strongly suggests this is bollocks. The EU is just desperate, now. Under intense political pressure from its voters
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Ditto, except we should tell them that we would react immediately and disproportionately...
We will send Priti Patel across at once to provide them with some robust discipline.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Yes, with a small suggested change: we would retaliate immediately and irrationally. If you state that you will be proportionate, it allows them to do cost benefit analysis. If you insist your response will be immediate, but neither rational nor predictable, it makes them more cautious.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
If they went low, I'd be inclined to go high. Wonder if the Magnitsky provisions might come in handy; I'm sure someone could spin up an argument for denying shipment of contracted items during a pandemic as a human rights abuse.
Well there was that time last year when the French confiscated our entire order of PPE that was expected to supply the NHS comfortably. Which led directly to the disastrous scramble on PPE that followed. Because we assumed our supplies were secure and didn't develop alternative supply lines until it was too late.
One to remember everytime the EU/EU countries try to argue that they've taken the high ground throughout the course of the pandemic.
Coronavirus: French protective mask manufacturer scraps NHS order to keep masks in France
France has forced a face mask manufacturer to cancel a major UK order as the coronavirus-inspired scramble for protective gear intensifies.
"We are facing a big problem: who to prioritise" explained company director Nicolas Brillat. "The requisition does not allow any wiggle room for us to deliver to the NHS, but it is complicated because the NHS was the first client to order and uses our masks all year long."
Not sure why some are so strongly anti-Census. We've been doing this every 10 years since 1801 (maybe not 1941). The point is the information obtained is incredibly useful for planning things like schools, homes, hospitals, transport - small things like that.
Some of the questions that infuriate most are voluntary such as religion and sexual orientation.
Both of which are optional.
Opposition to the census really is utterly stupid.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
If they went low, I'd be inclined to go high. Wonder if the Magnitsky provisions might come in handy; I'm sure someone could spin up an argument for denying shipment of contracted items during a pandemic as a human rights abuse.
Well there was that time last year when the French confiscated our entire order of PPE that was expected to supply the NHS comfortably. Which led directly to the disastrous scramble on PPE that followed. Because we assumed our supplies were secure and didn't develop alternative supply lines until it was too late.
One to remember everytime the EU/EU countries try to argue that they've taken the high ground throughout the course of the pandemic.
Coronavirus: French protective mask manufacturer scraps NHS order to keep masks in France
France has forced a face mask manufacturer to cancel a major UK order as the coronavirus-inspired scramble for protective gear intensifies.
"We are facing a big problem: who to prioritise" explained company director Nicolas Brillat. "The requisition does not allow any wiggle room for us to deliver to the NHS, but it is complicated because the NHS was the first client to order and uses our masks all year long."
"uses our masks all year long." Not for much longer. Sayanara
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
There are times when one has to just take whatever on the chin. Horse-trading with peoples lives is not for me, and I'd imagine not for the bulk of the British people. This doesn't mean we're fair players in this, but it does mean that we just stick to the plan.
With the defence review coming up I have been discussing the latest pre-announcement announcements with a friend who is a former RAF strategic planner and intelligence officer. He recommended the following link to give some insight into the thinking within the MOD at the moment.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
If they went low, I'd be inclined to go high. Wonder if the Magnitsky provisions might come in handy; I'm sure someone could spin up an argument for denying shipment of contracted items during a pandemic as a human rights abuse.
Well there was that time last year when the French confiscated our entire order of PPE that was expected to supply the NHS comfortably. Which led directly to the disastrous scramble on PPE that followed. Because we assumed our supplies were secure and didn't develop alternative supply lines until it was too late.
One to remember everytime the EU/EU countries try to argue that they've taken the high ground throughout the course of the pandemic.
Coronavirus: French protective mask manufacturer scraps NHS order to keep masks in France
France has forced a face mask manufacturer to cancel a major UK order as the coronavirus-inspired scramble for protective gear intensifies.
"We are facing a big problem: who to prioritise" explained company director Nicolas Brillat. "The requisition does not allow any wiggle room for us to deliver to the NHS, but it is complicated because the NHS was the first client to order and uses our masks all year long."
"uses our masks all year long." Not for much longer. Sayanara
Well yes - that's why the company director was privately (if not publicly) reported to be absolutely fuming at what the French Govt did, due to their own failure to secure its PPE supply earlier. Sound familiar?
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
There are times when one has to just take whatever on the chin. Horse-trading with peoples lives is not for me, and I'd imagine not for the bulk of the British people. This doesn't mean we're fair players in this, but it does mean that we just stick to the plan.
Mass death and economic ruin. "Just take it on the chin". You'd be a crap prostitute.
I must say, I am beginning to wonder if there is something fishy going on at the Halix plant in NL, and cause for legitimate EU griping. Have AZN deliberately withheld the application for EU approval so that it can use the vaccine substance produced there to meet its UK contractual obligations?
Something odd is going on in that whole saga, and that seems to make the most sense of the facts.
I've seen that suggestion too. However if this were the case, why on earth hasn't the EU taken AZ to court, gone into the factory, dragged AZ over the coals, enforced the EU's contractual rights?
They haven't. Instead they're considering an insane option, a vaccine war with the UK, not AZ. Which strongly suggests this is bollocks. The EU is just desperate, now. Under intense political pressure from its voters
They even had a police raid of the AZN plant in Belgium. Because the Roast Beefs were smuggling AZN out in little bags hidden in their trousers.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
It's not particularly clear what action we could take. For reasons stated action in relation to Pfizer ingredients would be completely counterproductive to our own interests.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Yes, with a small suggested change: we would retaliate immediately and irrationally. If you state that you will be proportionate, it allows them to do cost benefit analysis. If you insist your response will be immediate, but neither rational nor predictable, it makes them more cautious.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
Clearly I'm massively outvoted on the should. We certainly wouldn't 'have to' though.
I'm sticking to my guns anyway - wouldn't and shouldn't.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
If they went low, I'd be inclined to go high. Wonder if the Magnitsky provisions might come in handy; I'm sure someone could spin up an argument for denying shipment of contracted items during a pandemic as a human rights abuse.
Well there was that time last year when the French confiscated our entire order of PPE that was expected to supply the NHS comfortably. Which led directly to the disastrous scramble on PPE that followed. Because we assumed our supplies were secure and didn't develop alternative supply lines until it was too late.
One to remember everytime the EU/EU countries try to argue that they've taken the high ground throughout the course of the pandemic.
Coronavirus: French protective mask manufacturer scraps NHS order to keep masks in France
France has forced a face mask manufacturer to cancel a major UK order as the coronavirus-inspired scramble for protective gear intensifies.
"We are facing a big problem: who to prioritise" explained company director Nicolas Brillat. "The requisition does not allow any wiggle room for us to deliver to the NHS, but it is complicated because the NHS was the first client to order and uses our masks all year long."
Own would hope that, if possible, they never see another order.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
There are times when one has to just take whatever on the chin. Horse-trading with peoples lives is not for me, and I'd imagine not for the bulk of the British people. This doesn't mean we're fair players in this, but it does mean that we just stick to the plan.
Mass death and economic ruin. "Just take it on the chin". You'd be a crap prostitute.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
If they went low, I'd be inclined to go high. Wonder if the Magnitsky provisions might come in handy; I'm sure someone could spin up an argument for denying shipment of contracted items during a pandemic as a human rights abuse.
Well there was that time last year when the French confiscated our entire order of PPE that was expected to supply the NHS comfortably. Which led directly to the disastrous scramble on PPE that followed. Because we assumed our supplies were secure and didn't develop alternative supply lines until it was too late.
One to remember everytime the EU/EU countries try to argue that they've taken the high ground throughout the course of the pandemic.
Coronavirus: French protective mask manufacturer scraps NHS order to keep masks in France
France has forced a face mask manufacturer to cancel a major UK order as the coronavirus-inspired scramble for protective gear intensifies.
"We are facing a big problem: who to prioritise" explained company director Nicolas Brillat. "The requisition does not allow any wiggle room for us to deliver to the NHS, but it is complicated because the NHS was the first client to order and uses our masks all year long."
Own would hope that, if possible, they never see another order.
Build factories now in the Red Wall constituencies ...
As for the post-Covid world, those who desperately want to forget all this has ever happened and want to turn the clock back to January 2020 are going to be out of luck.
The world has and will continue to change - that's the only constant.
As far as the immediate post-Covid environment, I'd like to hope there will be, in the short terms at least, a heightened awareness of public and personal health. Washing hands, regular cleaning of transport carriages, being aware that when you are sick you're doing no one any favours carrying on - none of these are bad things and if they remained in the public consciousness would be positives.
Reducing days lost due to colds, flu and even norovirus would being economic and social benefits to us all. As for mask wearing, which seems to have developed a symbolism of its own, the argument one might wear a mask in the Underground in winter or at times of poor air quality isn't wholly without merit. It shouldn't of course be a requirement but there will be good times when it's "good practice" though the real problems of air pollution in London and elsewhere still remain to be properly tackled.
As for "public health" in general, informing people of the effects, particularly the addictive aspects, of smoking, drinking and gambling isn't an unreasonable exercise. Beyond that, however, the individual has to take a measure of personal responsibility but if addiction takes over, there must be as much support as possible and as little stigmatisation as possible.
The other area impacted by Covid has been mental health - if I've learnt nothing else, everyone is different and you only have to see from the responses on here how everyone has responded for better or worse to the events of the past year. Recognising the impact of how we live and how we want to live on both our mental and physical wellbeing should be at the core of all Government work. The national response to coronavirus moved away from the notion we are all economic drones - units of production and/or consumption - and that the life we had, unique as it is in so many ways, is to be understood and respected.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
It's not particularly clear what action we could take. For reasons stated action in relation to Pfizer ingredients would be completely counterproductive to our own interests.
you're defining our interests in an incredibly short term and naive manner. If this happens, anyone who believes we'll get our continued fair share of Pfizer would be a fool, and in any case you can't simple allow yourself to be bullied without response even if responding carries a short term cost. The bullying would only get worse.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Yes, with a small suggested change: we would retaliate immediately and irrationally. If you state that you will be proportionate, it allows them to do cost benefit analysis. If you insist your response will be immediate, but neither rational nor predictable, it makes them more cautious.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Yes, with a small suggested change: we would retaliate immediately and irrationally. If you state that you will be proportionate, it allows them to do cost benefit analysis. If you insist your response will be immediate, but neither rational nor predictable, it makes them more cautious.
i'm not sure we can nuke them .........
The rules of armed conflict require proportionality. So disproportional responses would need to be not military.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Yes, with a small suggested change: we would retaliate immediately and irrationally. If you state that you will be proportionate, it allows them to do cost benefit analysis. If you insist your response will be immediate, but neither rational nor predictable, it makes them more cautious.
The irrational retaliation that would shatter EU unity and avoid them voting for it is to start the process of withdrawing our battle group on the Russian border.
Edit - Bonus points if they piss off Canada and the USA enough for coordinated action.
Ye Gods the Loons are truly out in force tonight. You clowns have only been out of the EU for a few weeks and you are now clamoring for military intervention. What are you going to be like in six months time when the UK is facing the first wave of Brexit bankruptcies with 15% unemployment and rising?
Not sure why some are so strongly anti-Census. We've been doing this every 10 years since 1801 (maybe not 1941). The point is the information obtained is incredibly useful for planning things like schools, homes, hospitals, transport - small things like that.
Some of the questions that infuriate most are voluntary such as religion and sexual orientation.
Both of which are optional.
Opposition to the census really is utterly stupid.
A lot of data comes out of the census which is useful for transport planners - on the grounds that it's being asked while we're in the middle of a pandemic, it's going to be pretty useless. I wonder whether we'll have another census when/if life returns to normal.
Ye Gods the Loons are truly out in force tonight. You clowns have only been out of the EU for a few weeks and you are now clamoring for military intervention. What are you going to be like in six months time when the UK is facing the first wave of Brexit bankruptcies with 15% unemployment and rising?
US President Joe Biden said he was "deeply disappointed" Sunday after Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, the world's first binding treaty to prevent and combat violence against women.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government announced the decision Saturday, the latest victory for conservatives in Erdogan's nationalist party and their allies who argued the treaty damaged family unity.
Man, I really have enjoyed writing both these weekend threads.
Aren't the 7% cited in the thread header misreading the question asked of them? It is to choose someone to replace the Queen as Head of State isn't it?
EDIT - I hadn't read the comments, everyone else spotted the rick too - what a strange mistake to make
Ye Gods the Loons are truly out in force tonight. You clowns have only been out of the EU for a few weeks and you are now clamoring for military intervention. What are you going to be like in six months time when the UK is facing the first wave of Brexit bankruptcies with 15% unemployment and rising?
Good to see you again, my friend.
The good ship HMS Hyperbole is sailing up the Channel this evening it would seem.
Those who write to provoke a response are always going to find something about which to shout.
I must say, I am beginning to wonder if there is something fishy going on at the Halix plant in NL, and cause for legitimate EU griping. Have AZN deliberately withheld the application for EU approval so that it can use the vaccine substance produced there to meet its UK contractual obligations?
Something odd is going on in that whole saga, and that seems to make the most sense of the facts.
I've seen that suggestion too. However if this were the case, why on earth hasn't the EU taken AZ to court, gone into the factory, dragged AZ over the coals, enforced the EU's contractual rights?
They haven't. Instead they're considering an insane option, a vaccine war with the UK, not AZ. Which strongly suggests this is bollocks. The EU is just desperate, now. Under intense political pressure from its voters
Ye Gods the Loons are truly out in force tonight. You clowns have only been out of the EU for a few weeks and you are now clamoring for military intervention. What are you going to be like in six months time when the UK is facing the first wave of Brexit bankruptcies with 15% unemployment and rising?
Lol - good luck pushing your 'rules-based organization' bullshit if the EU starts stealing our vaccines.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
It's not particularly clear what action we could take. For reasons stated action in relation to Pfizer ingredients would be completely counterproductive to our own interests.
you're defining our interests in an incredibly short term and naive manner. If this happens, anyone who believes we'll get our continued fair share of Pfizer would be a fool, and in any case you can't simple allow yourself to be bullied without response even if responding carries a short term cost. The bullying would only get worse.
Fully agree - if the EU insists on escalation, entirely as a consequence of their own domestic policy mistakes, and the UK Government gives in, the UK will be held to ransom every time there is another crisis where the EU underperforms. Strategically, the UK cannot give in to bullying on this issue, or we'll set an incredibly dangerous precedent for future EU-UK relations where the EU expects it can threaten the UK and get what it wants.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
It's not particularly clear what action we could take. For reasons stated action in relation to Pfizer ingredients would be completely counterproductive to our own interests.
you're defining our interests in an incredibly short term and naive manner. If this happens, anyone who believes we'll get our continued fair share of Pfizer would be a fool, and in any case you can't simple allow yourself to be bullied without response even if responding carries a short term cost. The bullying would only get worse.
I'm defining our interests in the loss of lives due to a reduction of 30m doses of Pfizer vaccine. I don't think that is in danger, whatever you suggest. Because, through all the bluster, the EU have been careful to state that their dispute is with AZ on a company contractual level (even if they are in the wrong).
Extending the dispute across all vaccine manufacturers would help nobody.
If the EU does block Pfizer exports to us the answer is clear: The bottleneck in the US are the lipids. Divert ours there, and split the results three ways between the UK, US, and Covax.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
Clearly I'm massively outvoted on the should. We certainly wouldn't 'have to' though.
I'm sticking to my guns anyway - wouldn't and shouldn't.
I'm with you on that ... provided that damage is manageable.
I see @Leon is having his weekly "hot war with the EU" masturbate-a-thon
Well we all know Leon will enlist in this war.
If the eu blocked pfizer doses from being exported I have to say I dont see how we can just be quiescent and accept it
FWIW I reckon they will step back from the brink. But it is no longer impossible
How do we react? The pressure on Boris to block the export of lipids from Croda will be intense. I guess, sensibly, he should resist, but will he be able? The media and public will be screaming for a retaliation in kind. With some reason
And the chaos it will cause in global supply chains? Why should American pharma companies (the source of most expected new vaccines) regard the EU as a reliable actor, if they rip up Pfizer contracts and seize doses? It's Venezuela-type shit.
It would be a remarkably stupid thing to do. Both morally bankrupt - deliberately sabotaging vaccine production - and self defeating, since some of that production should be for us. It wouldn’t improve our vaccine numbers, and would leave us open to the same international condemnation the EU action is likely to attract.
As for the post-Covid world, those who desperately want to forget all this has ever happened and want to turn the clock back to January 2020 are going to be out of luck.
The world has and will continue to change - that's the only constant.
As far as the immediate post-Covid environment, I'd like to hope there will be, in the short terms at least, a heightened awareness of public and personal health. Washing hands, regular cleaning of transport carriages, being aware that when you are sick you're doing no one any favours carrying on - none of these are bad things and if they remained in the public consciousness would be positives.
Reducing days lost due to colds, flu and even norovirus would being economic and social benefits to us all. As for mask wearing, which seems to have developed a symbolism of its own, the argument one might wear a mask in the Underground in winter or at times of poor air quality isn't wholly without merit. It shouldn't of course be a requirement but there will be good times when it's "good practice" though the real problems of air pollution in London and elsewhere still remain to be properly tackled.
As for "public health" in general, informing people of the effects, particularly the addictive aspects, of smoking, drinking and gambling isn't an unreasonable exercise. Beyond that, however, the individual has to take a measure of personal responsibility but if addiction takes over, there must be as much support as possible and as little stigmatisation as possible.
The other area impacted by Covid has been mental health - if I've learnt nothing else, everyone is different and you only have to see from the responses on here how everyone has responded for better or worse to the events of the past year. Recognising the impact of how we live and how we want to live on both our mental and physical wellbeing should be at the core of all Government work. The national response to coronavirus moved away from the notion we are all economic drones - units of production and/or consumption - and that the life we had, unique as it is in so many ways, is to be understood and respected.
Another public health question we need to answer is whether packing people into crowded commuter buses and trains and then ever more tightly-packed open plan offices is really sensible. Personally, I can't imagine a better environment to spread germs and reduce productivity.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
If they went low, I'd be inclined to go high. Wonder if the Magnitsky provisions might come in handy; I'm sure someone could spin up an argument for denying shipment of contracted items during a pandemic as a human rights abuse.
Well there was that time last year when the French confiscated our entire order of PPE that was expected to supply the NHS comfortably. Which led directly to the disastrous scramble on PPE that followed. Because we assumed our supplies were secure and didn't develop alternative supply lines until it was too late.
One to remember everytime the EU/EU countries try to argue that they've taken the high ground throughout the course of the pandemic.
Not even sure Andrew Rawnsley would try that "moral high ground" with a straight face.
Just that we should forgive the EU, because, well, our success has been very provocative....
I must say, I am beginning to wonder if there is something fishy going on at the Halix plant in NL, and cause for legitimate EU griping. Have AZN deliberately withheld the application for EU approval so that it can use the vaccine substance produced there to meet its UK contractual obligations?
Something odd is going on in that whole saga, and that seems to make the most sense of the facts.
This whole saga is a classic "fog of war" one, and there's so much that we don't know, and so much that we think we know is actually speculation from journalists.
Ultimately, though, the EU fucked up and is scrambling around trying to find ways to make it look less like they fucked up.
And that EU fuck up has been compounded by a cascade of national issues.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
It's not particularly clear what action we could take. For reasons stated action in relation to Pfizer ingredients would be completely counterproductive to our own interests.
you're defining our interests in an incredibly short term and naive manner. If this happens, anyone who believes we'll get our continued fair share of Pfizer would be a fool, and in any case you can't simple allow yourself to be bullied without response even if responding carries a short term cost. The bullying would only get worse.
I'm defining our interests in the loss of lives due to a reduction of 30m doses of Pfizer vaccine. I don't think that is in danger, whatever you suggest. Because, through all the bluster, the EU have been careful to state that their dispute is with AZ on a company contractual level (even if they are in the wrong).
Extending the dispute across all vaccine manufacturers would help nobody.
Frankly anyone talking in terms of loss of life at this point is being melodramatic - covid is at very low levels in the UK and the vulnerable are already vaccinated - a 2 month delay at this stage will have a completely negligible impact in the grand scheme of things and deaths will continue to run below the 5 year average between now and the end of vaccination, whether that's June or September.
You may think the EU have been 'careful' but that's not what anyone else could see, and a policy aimed squarely at the UK like this should be met in kind and in full. The lipids we produce are the limiting factor in world supply and we could find a willing using in another Pfizer supply chain with a bilateral agreement to ensure that the bad actors in this situation are made to suffer for their conduct.
Man, I really have enjoyed writing both these weekend threads.
Aren't the 7% cited in the thread header misreading the question asked of them? It is to choose someone to replace the Queen as Head of State isn't it?
No it is asking them to imagine if the Queen was replaced by an elected head of state who would they want to be that elected head of state.
The Queen is unelected.
Perhaps we should bring back Prince-electors but instead of for the HRE but for our monarchy?
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Yes, with a small suggested change: we would retaliate immediately and irrationally. If you state that you will be proportionate, it allows them to do cost benefit analysis. If you insist your response will be immediate, but neither rational nor predictable, it makes them more cautious.
The irrational retaliation that would shatter EU unity and avoid them voting for it is to start the process of withdrawing our battle group on the Russian border.
Edit - Bonus points if they piss off Canada and the USA enough for coordinated action.
Man, I really have enjoyed writing both these weekend threads.
Aren't the 7% cited in the thread header misreading the question asked of them? It is to choose someone to replace the Queen as Head of State isn't it?
No it is asking them to imagine if the Queen was replaced by an elected head of state who would they want to be that elected head of state.
The Queen is unelected.
Perhaps we should bring back Prince-electors but instead of for the HRE but for our monarchy?
Ye Gods the Loons are truly out in force tonight. You clowns have only been out of the EU for a few weeks and you are now clamoring for military intervention. What are you going to be like in six months time when the UK is facing the first wave of Brexit bankruptcies with 15% unemployment and rising?
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
If they went low, I'd be inclined to go high. Wonder if the Magnitsky provisions might come in handy; I'm sure someone could spin up an argument for denying shipment of contracted items during a pandemic as a human rights abuse.
Well there was that time last year when the French confiscated our entire order of PPE that was expected to supply the NHS comfortably. Which led directly to the disastrous scramble on PPE that followed. Because we assumed our supplies were secure and didn't develop alternative supply lines until it was too late.
One to remember everytime the EU/EU countries try to argue that they've taken the high ground throughout the course of the pandemic.
Not even sure Andrew Rawnsley would try that "moral high ground" with a straight face.
Just that we should forgive the EU, because, well, our success has been very provocative....
Although that was the French, and not the EU, who pinched our PPE equipment.
Man, I really have enjoyed writing both these weekend threads.
Aren't the 7% cited in the thread header misreading the question asked of them? It is to choose someone to replace the Queen as Head of State isn't it?
No it is asking them to imagine if the Queen was replaced by an elected head of state who would they want to be that elected head of state.
The Queen is unelected.
Perhaps we should bring back Prince-electors but instead of for the HRE but for our monarchy?
As for the post-Covid world, those who desperately want to forget all this has ever happened and want to turn the clock back to January 2020 are going to be out of luck.
The world has and will continue to change - that's the only constant.
As far as the immediate post-Covid environment, I'd like to hope there will be, in the short terms at least, a heightened awareness of public and personal health. Washing hands, regular cleaning of transport carriages, being aware that when you are sick you're doing no one any favours carrying on - none of these are bad things and if they remained in the public consciousness would be positives.
Reducing days lost due to colds, flu and even norovirus would being economic and social benefits to us all. As for mask wearing, which seems to have developed a symbolism of its own, the argument one might wear a mask in the Underground in winter or at times of poor air quality isn't wholly without merit. It shouldn't of course be a requirement but there will be good times when it's "good practice" though the real problems of air pollution in London and elsewhere still remain to be properly tackled.
As for "public health" in general, informing people of the effects, particularly the addictive aspects, of smoking, drinking and gambling isn't an unreasonable exercise. Beyond that, however, the individual has to take a measure of personal responsibility but if addiction takes over, there must be as much support as possible and as little stigmatisation as possible.
The other area impacted by Covid has been mental health - if I've learnt nothing else, everyone is different and you only have to see from the responses on here how everyone has responded for better or worse to the events of the past year. Recognising the impact of how we live and how we want to live on both our mental and physical wellbeing should be at the core of all Government work. The national response to coronavirus moved away from the notion we are all economic drones - units of production and/or consumption - and that the life we had, unique as it is in so many ways, is to be understood and respected.
Another public health question we need to answer is whether packing people into crowded commuter buses and trains and then ever more tightly-packed open plan offices is really sensible. Personally, I can't imagine a better environment to spread germs and reduce productivity.
If open plan offices reduced productivity, then companies that used them would underperform.
Man, I really have enjoyed writing both these weekend threads.
Aren't the 7% cited in the thread header misreading the question asked of them? It is to choose someone to replace the Queen as Head of State isn't it?
No it is asking them to imagine if the Queen was replaced by an elected head of state who would they want to be that elected head of state.
The Queen is unelected.
Perhaps we should bring back Prince-electors but instead of for the HRE but for our monarchy?
Man, I really have enjoyed writing both these weekend threads.
Aren't the 7% cited in the thread header misreading the question asked of them? It is to choose someone to replace the Queen as Head of State isn't it?
No it is asking them to imagine if the Queen was replaced by an elected head of state who would they want to be that elected head of state.
The Queen is unelected.
Perhaps we should bring back Prince-electors but instead of for the HRE but for our monarchy?
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
I completely disagree. The question is not whether we retaliate but whether we can keep the retaliation within some sensible bounds. Not responding is not an option.
The obvious option: Naval blockades of cargo ships bound for EU ports at Jutland, Gibraltar and the Channel.
All exports relevant to the production of vaccines ceased immediately. Call in favours to make sure others do the same. Withdrawal from the crappy trade deal with immediate effect. Punitive tariffs on all EU imports. Take days to examine each and every lorry or cargo container coming from the continent.
I see @Leon is having his weekly "hot war with the EU" masturbate-a-thon
Well we all know Leon will enlist in this war.
If the eu blocked pfizer doses from being exported I have to say I dont see how we can just be quiescent and accept it
FWIW I reckon they will step back from the brink. But it is no longer impossible
How do we react? The pressure on Boris to block the export of lipids from Croda will be intense. I guess, sensibly, he should resist, but will he be able? The media and public will be screaming for a retaliation in kind. With some reason
And the chaos it will cause in global supply chains? Why should American pharma companies (the source of most expected new vaccines) regard the EU as a reliable actor, if they rip up Pfizer contracts and seize doses? It's Venezuela-type shit.
It would be a remarkably stupid thing to do. Both morally bankrupt - deliberately sabotaging vaccine production - and self defeating, since some of that production should be for us. It wouldn’t improve our vaccine numbers, and would leave us open to the same international condemnation the EU action is likely to attract.
Let them be the ones to reap the consequences.
No, we just need to speak to them in a language that they'll understand...
Hast du etwas Zeit für mich? Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich Von neunundneunzig Luftballons Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont. Denkst du vielleicht grad an mich? Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich Von neunundneunzig Luftballons Und dass sowas von sowas kommt...
Man, I really have enjoyed writing both these weekend threads.
Aren't the 7% cited in the thread header misreading the question asked of them? It is to choose someone to replace the Queen as Head of State isn't it?
No it is asking them to imagine if the Queen was replaced by an elected head of state who would they want to be that elected head of state.
The Queen is unelected.
Perhaps we should bring back Prince-electors but instead of for the HRE but for our monarchy?
I see @Leon is having his weekly "hot war with the EU" masturbate-a-thon
Well we all know Leon will enlist in this war.
If the eu blocked pfizer doses from being exported I have to say I dont see how we can just be quiescent and accept it
FWIW I reckon they will step back from the brink. But it is no longer impossible
How do we react? The pressure on Boris to block the export of lipids from Croda will be intense. I guess, sensibly, he should resist, but will he be able? The media and public will be screaming for a retaliation in kind. With some reason
And the chaos it will cause in global supply chains? Why should American pharma companies (the source of most expected new vaccines) regard the EU as a reliable actor, if they rip up Pfizer contracts and seize doses? It's Venezuela-type shit.
It would be a remarkably stupid thing to do. Both morally bankrupt - deliberately sabotaging vaccine production - and self defeating, since some of that production should be for us. It wouldn’t improve our vaccine numbers, and would leave us open to the same international condemnation the EU action is likely to attract.
Let them be the ones to reap the consequences.
So how do we retaliate then, if the EU goes psycho? Because we will have to do *something*. The idea any UK government could just sit back and say, "Oh well, 2 more months of lockdown, 25,000 dead, bloody hell, we said the EU was terrible, never mind"
They would be shredded. Farage would be UK Fuhrer within a fortnight.
Moreover, as others say below, yielding to blatant EU bullying would be a terrible error, long term. If they get away with it once, they will do it again. Boris would be toast with his backbenchers.
So, how do we retaliate, if not with The Lipids?*
*If I'd been told, 18 months ago, that I'd be seriously using that sentence on PB....
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
It's not particularly clear what action we could take. For reasons stated action in relation to Pfizer ingredients would be completely counterproductive to our own interests.
you're defining our interests in an incredibly short term and naive manner. If this happens, anyone who believes we'll get our continued fair share of Pfizer would be a fool, and in any case you can't simple allow yourself to be bullied without response even if responding carries a short term cost. The bullying would only get worse.
I'm defining our interests in the loss of lives due to a reduction of 30m doses of Pfizer vaccine. I don't think that is in danger, whatever you suggest. Because, through all the bluster, the EU have been careful to state that their dispute is with AZ on a company contractual level (even if they are in the wrong).
Extending the dispute across all vaccine manufacturers would help nobody.
Frankly anyone talking in terms of loss of life at this point is being melodramatic - covid is at very low levels in the UK and the vulnerable are already vaccinated - a 2 month delay at this stage will have a completely negligible impact in the grand scheme of things and deaths will continue to run below the 5 year average between now and the end of vaccination, whether that's June or September.
You may think the EU have been 'careful' but that's not what anyone else could see, and a policy aimed squarely at the UK like this should be met in kind and in full. The lipids we produce are the limiting factor in world supply and we could find a willing using in another Pfizer supply chain with a bilateral agreement to ensure that the bad actors in this situation are made to suffer for their conduct.
The loss of life wouldn't just be Covid deaths - you'd have to take into account the delayed reopening's impact on cancer deaths diagnosed late, the suicides due to untreated mental health problems, the jobs lost, the bankrupted businesses, the hours of education not given, the relationships strained, the children not conceived...
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
I completely disagree. The question is not whether we retaliate but whether we can keep the retaliation within some sensible bounds. Not responding is not an option.
The obvious option: Naval blockades of cargo ships bound for EU ports at Jutland, Gibraltar and the Channel.
All exports relevant to the production of vaccines ceased immediately. Call in favours to make sure others do the same. Withdrawal from the crappy trade deal with immediate effect. Punitive tariffs on all EU imports. Take days to examine each and every lorry or cargo container coming from the continent.
Fuck em.
Might fuck us at least as much! As we are so dependent on imports.
"The N-word row engulfing SOAS university Ranvijay Singh
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)’s newly-appointed director, Adam Habib, has become the latest victim of cancel culture having been suspended from the university. His crime? During an online meeting, a student asked Habib if SOAS’s commitment to the BLM movement was sincere, when some academics continued to use racial slurs, particularly the N-word, in the classroom. Habib responded by saying that he would personally address any of these allegations but in doing so, he ‘verbalised’ the word in question. It was a cardinal mistake."
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
We should and we would have to
It's not particularly clear what action we could take. For reasons stated action in relation to Pfizer ingredients would be completely counterproductive to our own interests.
you're defining our interests in an incredibly short term and naive manner. If this happens, anyone who believes we'll get our continued fair share of Pfizer would be a fool, and in any case you can't simple allow yourself to be bullied without response even if responding carries a short term cost. The bullying would only get worse.
I'm defining our interests in the loss of lives due to a reduction of 30m doses of Pfizer vaccine. I don't think that is in danger, whatever you suggest. Because, through all the bluster, the EU have been careful to state that their dispute is with AZ on a company contractual level (even if they are in the wrong).
Extending the dispute across all vaccine manufacturers would help nobody.
Frankly anyone talking in terms of loss of life at this point is being melodramatic - covid is at very low levels in the UK and the vulnerable are already vaccinated - a 2 month delay at this stage will have a completely negligible impact in the grand scheme of things and deaths will continue to run below the 5 year average between now and the end of vaccination, whether that's June or September.
You may think the EU have been 'careful' but that's not what anyone else could see, and a policy aimed squarely at the UK like this should be met in kind and in full. The lipids we produce are the limiting factor in world supply and we could find a willing using in another Pfizer supply chain with a bilateral agreement to ensure that the bad actors in this situation are made to suffer for their conduct.
The loss of life wouldn't just be Covid deaths - you'd have to take into account the delayed reopening's impact on cancer deaths diagnosed late, the suicides due to untreated mental health problems, the jobs lost, the bankrupted businesses, the hours of education not given, the relationships strained, the children not conceived...
The delayed re-opening would be entirely our fault if there were any delay, but that's a different debate.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
I completely disagree. The question is not whether we retaliate but whether we can keep the retaliation within some sensible bounds. Not responding is not an option.
The obvious option: Naval blockades of cargo ships bound for EU ports at Jutland, Gibraltar and the Channel.
All exports relevant to the production of vaccines ceased immediately. Call in favours to make sure others do the same. Withdrawal from the crappy trade deal with immediate effect. Punitive tariffs on all EU imports. Take days to examine each and every lorry or cargo container coming from the continent.
Fuck em.
Might fuck us at least as much! As we are so dependent on imports.
We just have to substitute from elsewhere. Get used to your Californian red.
"The N-word row engulfing SOAS university Ranvijay Singh
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)’s newly-appointed director, Adam Habib, has become the latest victim of cancel culture having been suspended from the university. His crime? During an online meeting, a student asked Habib if SOAS’s commitment to the BLM movement was sincere, when some academics continued to use racial slurs, particularly the N-word, in the classroom. Habib responded by saying that he would personally address any of these allegations but in doing so, he ‘verbalised’ the word in question. It was a cardinal mistake."
The bit that got me was one student launched into the now standard you don't have the right to say such things, only black people do because of 300 years of slavery and oppression....to a man of Asian descent from South Africa...the "coloured" as they are called there have suffered terrible racial discrimination from whites and blacks for as long as they have been there.
I see @Leon is having his weekly "hot war with the EU" masturbate-a-thon
Well we all know Leon will enlist in this war.
If the eu blocked pfizer doses from being exported I have to say I dont see how we can just be quiescent and accept it
FWIW I reckon they will step back from the brink. But it is no longer impossible
How do we react? The pressure on Boris to block the export of lipids from Croda will be intense. I guess, sensibly, he should resist, but will he be able? The media and public will be screaming for a retaliation in kind. With some reason
And the chaos it will cause in global supply chains? Why should American pharma companies (the source of most expected new vaccines) regard the EU as a reliable actor, if they rip up Pfizer contracts and seize doses? It's Venezuela-type shit.
It would be a remarkably stupid thing to do. Both morally bankrupt - deliberately sabotaging vaccine production - and self defeating, since some of that production should be for us. It wouldn’t improve our vaccine numbers, and would leave us open to the same international condemnation the EU action is likely to attract.
Let them be the ones to reap the consequences.
So how do we retaliate then, if the EU goes psycho? Because we will have to do *something*. The idea any UK government could just sit back and say, "Oh well, 2 more months of lockdown, 25,000 dead, bloody hell, we said the EU was terrible, never mind"
They would be shredded. Farage would be UK Fuhrer within a fortnight.
Moreover, as others say below, yielding to blatant EU bullying would be a terrible error, long term. If they get away with it once, they will do it again. Boris would be toast with his backbenchers.
So, how do we retaliate, if not with The Lipids?*
*If I'd been told, 18 months ago, that I'd be seriously using that sentence on PB....
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
The way to avoid it being an issue is to make it absolutely clear that we would retaliate immediately and proportionately.
Yes, with a small suggested change: we would retaliate immediately and irrationally. If you state that you will be proportionate, it allows them to do cost benefit analysis. If you insist your response will be immediate, but neither rational nor predictable, it makes them more cautious.
The irrational retaliation that would shatter EU unity and avoid them voting for it is to start the process of withdrawing our battle group on the Russian border.
Edit - Bonus points if they piss off Canada and the USA enough for coordinated action.
Do you want to repatriate them via Paris?
Perhaps they could liberate Aquitaine and Gascony on the way back.
I see @Leon is having his weekly "hot war with the EU" masturbate-a-thon
Well we all know Leon will enlist in this war.
If the eu blocked pfizer doses from being exported I have to say I dont see how we can just be quiescent and accept it
FWIW I reckon they will step back from the brink. But it is no longer impossible
How do we react? The pressure on Boris to block the export of lipids from Croda will be intense. I guess, sensibly, he should resist, but will he be able? The media and public will be screaming for a retaliation in kind. With some reason
And the chaos it will cause in global supply chains? Why should American pharma companies (the source of most expected new vaccines) regard the EU as a reliable actor, if they rip up Pfizer contracts and seize doses? It's Venezuela-type shit.
It would be a remarkably stupid thing to do. Both morally bankrupt - deliberately sabotaging vaccine production - and self defeating, since some of that production should be for us. It wouldn’t improve our vaccine numbers, and would leave us open to the same international condemnation the EU action is likely to attract.
Let them be the ones to reap the consequences.
So how do we retaliate then, if the EU goes psycho? Because we will have to do *something*. The idea any UK government could just sit back and say, "Oh well, 2 more months of lockdown, 25,000 dead, bloody hell, we said the EU was terrible, never mind"
They would be shredded. Farage would be UK Fuhrer within a fortnight.
Moreover, as others say below, yielding to blatant EU bullying would be a terrible error, long term. If they get away with it once, they will do it again. Boris would be toast with his backbenchers.
So, how do we retaliate, if not with The Lipids?*
*If I'd been told, 18 months ago, that I'd be seriously using that sentence on PB....
We will be a major international supplier of vaccine within months. Anyone who wants some does not supply the EU.
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
I completely disagree. The question is not whether we retaliate but whether we can keep the retaliation within some sensible bounds. Not responding is not an option.
The obvious option: Naval blockades of cargo ships bound for EU ports at Jutland, Gibraltar and the Channel.
All exports relevant to the production of vaccines ceased immediately. Call in favours to make sure others do the same. Withdrawal from the crappy trade deal with immediate effect. Punitive tariffs on all EU imports. Take days to examine each and every lorry or cargo container coming from the continent.
Fuck em.
Might fuck us at least as much! As we are so dependent on imports.
We just have to substitute from elsewhere. Get used to your Californian red.
In reality, what we would probably do is enlist - if we can - US support in putting pressure back on the EU. The USA makes a lot of money out of Big Pharma, with its global supply chains. The EU chucking a mental and blowing up those chains would not be popular with free trading Biden.
I must say, I am beginning to wonder if there is something fishy going on at the Halix plant in NL, and cause for legitimate EU griping. Have AZN deliberately withheld the application for EU approval so that it can use the vaccine substance produced there to meet its UK contractual obligations?
Something odd is going on in that whole saga, and that seems to make the most sense of the facts.
I've seen that suggestion too. However if this were the case, why on earth hasn't the EU taken AZ to court, gone into the factory, dragged AZ over the coals, enforced the EU's contractual rights?
They haven't. Instead they're considering an insane option, a vaccine war with the UK, not AZ. Which strongly suggests this is bollocks. The EU is just desperate, now. Under intense political pressure from its voters
But the Halix site hasn't exported anything to the UK since January. That is documented under the export checking mechanism that's been introduced.
This is just posturing, nothing more and The Guardian are right that if Pfizer shipments are blocked we're fucked but that just doesn't seem likely at all.
Man, I really have enjoyed writing both these weekend threads.
Aren't the 7% cited in the thread header misreading the question asked of them? It is to choose someone to replace the Queen as Head of State isn't it?
No it is asking them to imagine if the Queen was replaced by an elected head of state who would they want to be that elected head of state.
The Queen is unelected.
Perhaps we should bring back Prince-electors but instead of for the HRE but for our monarchy?
I must say, I am beginning to wonder if there is something fishy going on at the Halix plant in NL, and cause for legitimate EU griping. Have AZN deliberately withheld the application for EU approval so that it can use the vaccine substance produced there to meet its UK contractual obligations?
Something odd is going on in that whole saga, and that seems to make the most sense of the facts.
I've seen that suggestion too. However if this were the case, why on earth hasn't the EU taken AZ to court, gone into the factory, dragged AZ over the coals, enforced the EU's contractual rights?
They haven't. Instead they're considering an insane option, a vaccine war with the UK, not AZ. Which strongly suggests this is bollocks. The EU is just desperate, now. Under intense political pressure from its voters
But the Halix site hasn't exported anything to the UK since January. That is documented under the export checking mechanism that's been introduced.
This is just posturing, nothing more and The Guardian are right that if Pfizer shipments are blocked we're fucked but that just doesn't seem likely at all.
You wouldn't have thought so, but at the same time you wouldn't have thought the leader of a major western nation would push a load of anti-vaxxer bollocks and get themselves in these crazy situations wherr one week only under 65s can have a jab, the next only over 55s....The EC and some of the leaders of EU nations have lost it like Mr Stop Brexit...
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
This is just one of the reasons why I won't believe that we're actually moving further out of this mess until it happens.
HOWEVER - based both on media reports and on what appears to be quite a lot of informed opinion on PB, I'm not too worried yet. Export bans can, apparently, only be agreed by individual member states and not imposed by the Commission or Council of Ministers. Germany and France might be both reckless and desperate enough to push the button; the likes of Ireland, the Netherlands and (crucially) Belgium are reportedly much more reluctant. They know that if they screw up the pharma companies' ability to fulfil their contracts then said companies may no longer view the EU as a safe place to invest and build capacity. Those states therefore have a big incentive not to do anything silly.
That said, if it does go that far and the member states all fall into line, then the one thing that the UK Government must not do is force companies based here to break their contractual obligations as well, by cutting off the supply of crucial products to EU production plants. That wouldn't get us what we want and would only surrender the moral and legal high ground, whilst reducing production of vaccines for everyone else.
There are alternative responses available. The most obvious is to close the UK mission to the EU in Brussels and expel their team from London. The UK could consider withdrawing the troops currently stationed in Estonia as part of a NATO mission (in crude terms, we're not dying for you lot if you set out to kill us.) It's also possible that a quick word with the Americans and with Pfizer could see UK production of vaccine precursors diverted from the Belgian to American plants, so that UK firms' contracts with Pfizer could be upheld and UK orders fulfilled from US plants.
But we're still a long way from having to rely solely on our own (limited) production resources just yet, so let's just wait and see.
I would be very surprised if they haven’t already made plans to divert the precursors to Pfizer’s US plants in return for Pfizer delivering from there to the UK
I see @Leon is having his weekly "hot war with the EU" masturbate-a-thon
Well we all know Leon will enlist in this war.
If the eu blocked pfizer doses from being exported I have to say I dont see how we can just be quiescent and accept it
FWIW I reckon they will step back from the brink. But it is no longer impossible
How do we react? The pressure on Boris to block the export of lipids from Croda will be intense. I guess, sensibly, he should resist, but will he be able? The media and public will be screaming for a retaliation in kind. With some reason
And the chaos it will cause in global supply chains? Why should American pharma companies (the source of most expected new vaccines) regard the EU as a reliable actor, if they rip up Pfizer contracts and seize doses? It's Venezuela-type shit.
It would be a remarkably stupid thing to do. Both morally bankrupt - deliberately sabotaging vaccine production - and self defeating, since some of that production should be for us. It wouldn’t improve our vaccine numbers, and would leave us open to the same international condemnation the EU action is likely to attract.
Let them be the ones to reap the consequences.
No, we just need to speak to them in a language that they'll understand...
Hast du etwas Zeit für mich? Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich Von neunundneunzig Luftballons Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont. Denkst du vielleicht grad an mich? Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich Von neunundneunzig Luftballons Und dass sowas von sowas kommt...
Britain’s Covid vaccine programme faces a two-month delay in the event of an EU export ban, derailing the government’s plans to reopen the economy this summer, an analysis for the Guardian reveals.
A ban, due to be debated by leaders of the 27 EU member states on Thursday, would badly stall the UK vaccination effort, and would be likely to force the government to extend restrictions on people’s lives.
It would not, however, provide a significant boost to EU member states’ troubled programmes, according to a report by the data analytics company Airfinity.
The comparatively small number of doses that would be kept within the bloc would speed up the full vaccination of every adult in the EU by “just over a week”, the research suggests.
They would further fuck up our economy, and condemn lots of Britons to disease and death, because THEY screwed up their procurement? It would be the act of an outright enemy. Beyond anything China might do, or indeed Russia.
It is a nuclear option. How could we not retaliate? Madness
We would retaliate, because we'd have no choice. It would be close to an act of war.
The EU has to know this. And therefore, one has to think that an actual export ban is probably off the table.
More likely, they are playing a game of brinskmanship with the UK: Yeah, we're mad enough to fuck ourselves and you over, so let's see some concessions so we won't be forced to do something awful to both of us.
Which is, of course, the same strategy that it was advocated that the UK used during the Brexit negotiations.
I don't think we would or should retaliate.
I completely disagree. The question is not whether we retaliate but whether we can keep the retaliation within some sensible bounds. Not responding is not an option.
The obvious option: Naval blockades of cargo ships bound for EU ports at Jutland, Gibraltar and the Channel.
All exports relevant to the production of vaccines ceased immediately. Call in favours to make sure others do the same. Withdrawal from the crappy trade deal with immediate effect. Punitive tariffs on all EU imports. Take days to examine each and every lorry or cargo container coming from the continent.
Fuck em.
Might fuck us at least as much! As we are so dependent on imports.
We just have to substitute from elsewhere. Get used to your Californian red.
In reality, what we would probably do is enlist - if we can - US support in putting pressure back on the EU. The USA makes a lot of money out of Big Pharma, with its global supply chains. The EU chucking a mental and blowing up those chains would not be popular with free trading Biden.
Europe versus the Anglosphere....
That would certainly be important. But we should not just rely on the Americans to do the heavy lifting. Ending our trading relationship with the EU would hurt but sometimes its worth it.
Of course it would be much better if none of this happened but the EU leadership (and I use the word loosely) have really lost the place and I fear that our vaccination figures over this weekend are not going to have helped in that regard.
I see @Leon is having his weekly "hot war with the EU" masturbate-a-thon
Well we all know Leon will enlist in this war.
If the eu blocked pfizer doses from being exported I have to say I dont see how we can just be quiescent and accept it
FWIW I reckon they will step back from the brink. But it is no longer impossible
How do we react? The pressure on Boris to block the export of lipids from Croda will be intense. I guess, sensibly, he should resist, but will he be able? The media and public will be screaming for a retaliation in kind. With some reason
And the chaos it will cause in global supply chains? Why should American pharma companies (the source of most expected new vaccines) regard the EU as a reliable actor, if they rip up Pfizer contracts and seize doses? It's Venezuela-type shit.
It would be a remarkably stupid thing to do. Both morally bankrupt - deliberately sabotaging vaccine production - and self defeating, since some of that production should be for us. It wouldn’t improve our vaccine numbers, and would leave us open to the same international condemnation the EU action is likely to attract.
Let them be the ones to reap the consequences.
No, we just need to speak to them in a language that they'll understand...
Hast du etwas Zeit für mich? Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich Von neunundneunzig Luftballons Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont. Denkst du vielleicht grad an mich? Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich Von neunundneunzig Luftballons Und dass sowas von sowas kommt...
Comments
They haven't. Instead they're considering an insane option, a vaccine war with the UK, not AZ. Which strongly suggests this is bollocks. The EU is just desperate, now. Under intense political pressure from its voters
https://twitter.com/gerryhassan/status/1373701416729112577?s=21
There’s a truly offensive weapon...
https://www.euronews.com/2020/03/06/coronavirus-french-protective-mask-manufacturer-scraps-nhs-order-to-keep-masks-in-france
France has forced a face mask manufacturer to cancel a major UK order as the coronavirus-inspired scramble for protective gear intensifies.
"We are facing a big problem: who to prioritise" explained company director Nicolas Brillat. "The requisition does not allow any wiggle room for us to deliver to the NHS, but it is complicated because the NHS was the first client to order and uses our masks all year long."
Opposition to the census really is utterly stupid.
"Yes, the EU is committing medical and economic warfare against the UK... and here's why that's a good thing"
Instead, it’s got a large competitor on its doorstop.
Fortunately, this documentary blew the whistle...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zugv1NdMj4
I'm sticking to my guns anyway - wouldn't and shouldn't.
The world has and will continue to change - that's the only constant.
As far as the immediate post-Covid environment, I'd like to hope there will be, in the short terms at least, a heightened awareness of public and personal health. Washing hands, regular cleaning of transport carriages, being aware that when you are sick you're doing no one any favours carrying on - none of these are bad things and if they remained in the public consciousness would be positives.
Reducing days lost due to colds, flu and even norovirus would being economic and social benefits to us all. As for mask wearing, which seems to have developed a symbolism of its own, the argument one might wear a mask in the Underground in winter or at times of poor air quality isn't wholly without merit. It shouldn't of course be a requirement but there will be good times when it's "good practice" though the real problems of air pollution in London and elsewhere still remain to be properly tackled.
As for "public health" in general, informing people of the effects, particularly the addictive aspects, of smoking, drinking and gambling isn't an unreasonable exercise. Beyond that, however, the individual has to take a measure of personal responsibility but if addiction takes over, there must be as much support as possible and as little stigmatisation as possible.
The other area impacted by Covid has been mental health - if I've learnt nothing else, everyone is different and you only have to see from the responses on here how everyone has responded for better or worse to the events of the past year. Recognising the impact of how we live and how we want to live on both our mental and physical wellbeing should be at the core of all Government work. The national response to coronavirus moved away from the notion we are all economic drones - units of production and/or consumption - and that the life we had, unique as it is in so many ways, is to be understood and respected.
The rules of armed conflict require proportionality. So disproportional responses would need to be not military.
Edit - Bonus points if they piss off Canada and the USA enough for coordinated action.
https://news.yahoo.com/biden-disappointed-turkey-quits-domestic-144142319.html
US President Joe Biden said he was "deeply disappointed" Sunday after Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, the world's first binding treaty to prevent and combat violence against women.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government announced the decision Saturday, the latest victory for conservatives in Erdogan's nationalist party and their allies who argued the treaty damaged family unity.
"Family Unity".........
EDIT - I hadn't read the comments, everyone else spotted the rick too - what a strange mistake to make
The good ship HMS Hyperbole is sailing up the Channel this evening it would seem.
Those who write to provoke a response are always going to find something about which to shout.
Extending the dispute across all vaccine manufacturers would help nobody.
Both morally bankrupt - deliberately sabotaging vaccine production - and self defeating, since some of that production should be for us. It wouldn’t improve our vaccine numbers, and would leave us open to the same international condemnation the EU action is likely to attract.
Let them be the ones to reap the consequences.
Just that we should forgive the EU, because, well, our success has been very provocative....
Ultimately, though, the EU fucked up and is scrambling around trying to find ways to make it look less like they fucked up.
And that EU fuck up has been compounded by a cascade of national issues.
You may think the EU have been 'careful' but that's not what anyone else could see, and a policy aimed squarely at the UK like this should be met in kind and in full. The lipids we produce are the limiting factor in world supply and we could find a willing using in another Pfizer supply chain with a bilateral agreement to ensure that the bad actors in this situation are made to suffer for their conduct.
The Queen is unelected.
Perhaps we should bring back Prince-electors but instead of for the HRE but for our monarchy?
@ydoethur were there ever any Princess-electors?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_of_Hanover
https://twitter.com/undertheraedar/status/1373714123704389632?s=19
* though I am pretty chipper after the footy, and have opened a chap bottle of Californian red. Innocuous, but does the job.
A remarkable woman in her own right as well, very much worth finding out about.
Fuck em.
Hast du etwas Zeit für mich?
Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich
Von neunundneunzig Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont.
Denkst du vielleicht grad an mich?
Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich
Von neunundneunzig Luftballons
Und dass sowas von sowas kommt...
Good night.
They would be shredded. Farage would be UK Fuhrer within a fortnight.
Moreover, as others say below, yielding to blatant EU bullying would be a terrible error, long term. If they get away with it once, they will do it again. Boris would be toast with his backbenchers.
So, how do we retaliate, if not with The Lipids?*
*If I'd been told, 18 months ago, that I'd be seriously using that sentence on PB....
https://twitter.com/AlAviram/status/1373715689857507331?s=19
Ranvijay Singh
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)’s newly-appointed director, Adam Habib, has become the latest victim of cancel culture having been suspended from the university. His crime? During an online meeting, a student asked Habib if SOAS’s commitment to the BLM movement was sincere, when some academics continued to use racial slurs, particularly the N-word, in the classroom. Habib responded by saying that he would personally address any of these allegations but in doing so, he ‘verbalised’ the word in question. It was a cardinal mistake."
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/The-N-word-row-engulfing-SOAS-university
Seems quite sane to me!
Europe versus the Anglosphere....
This is just posturing, nothing more and The Guardian are right that if Pfizer shipments are blocked we're fucked but that just doesn't seem likely at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q86nf7mpOXk
Of course it would be much better if none of this happened but the EU leadership (and I use the word loosely) have really lost the place and I fear that our vaccination figures over this weekend are not going to have helped in that regard.
I expect to be arrested myself at a demo if this bill passes unchanged. Any decent person should.