EU thread:

1. It was a gamble. I was shocked when I saw how much money our govt. were pouring into vaccine development & didn't think it could work.

But I'm not a scientist & our government has some of the best scientific experts in the world advising them.

2. On the other hand, the EU decided price over promptness, believing they had the best vaccine deals because they paid less. That gamble could easily have turned out to be shrewd, but it hasn't.

3. Combined with the delay in getting orders placed, the strategy hasn't worked out well for the EU.

We're accused of being selfish, yet the EU are paying less than €2 a shot for the Oxford vaccine.

4. Instead of appealing to the better nature of most folk, the EU decided to make a war out of the situation, believing if they controlled the narrative by shouting loudest, big pharma would crumble to their demands.

5. But Blighty has had a really tough time of things with Covid & as an independent nation we have no legal obligation to assist the EU & the stronger moral obligation has been usurped by the EU's loud threats, tantrums & irrational behaviour.

6. We've paid more for vaccines to secure orders. We've invested heavily in research & production funding.

We should not feel ashamed to have got something right, particularly when we've paid a heavy price with so many fatalities & seriously ill people in hospital.

7. The EU know there's a ticking time bomb. People are worried about their jobs, debt & they're sick of the social restrictions.

Vaccines are a possible light at the end of the tunnel. It just so happens our tunnel is maybe shorter than the EU's & the jealousy is killing them.