MPs urge Boris Johnson to give more COVID vaccines to poorer nations
Boris Johnson is being urged to give more COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries ahead of the G7 summit.
More than 100 cross-party MPs and peers want the prime minister to show “global leadership” and commit to a one in, one out policy when it comes to jabs.
The prime minister is set to chair a gathering of the most economically powerful countries in the world in Cornwall from 11 June.
In the run-up to the summit, the signatories have asked the UK government to donate a dose to the United Nations-backed Covax scheme for every dose bought for use in Britain.
The scheme is providing vaccines to low and middle-income countries.
It comes as the World Health Organisation, the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group and the World Trade Organisation called for richer countries to give more COVID vaccines to poorer nations in a joint plea across a number of international newspapers.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being urged to give COVID vaccines to poorer nations
In a letter, the signatories said there is a “clear moral imperative to act to close the global vaccine divide”, as well as a “rational case… to stop the threat of variants emerging abroad and taking root in the UK”.
It has been backed by senior Tory MPs Peter Bottomley and Dr Dan Poulter – a former health minister who has worked on the frontline during the pandemic.
Others putting their name to the letter include former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, former archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, Margaret Thatcher’s former health minister Baroness Hooper and ex-leader of the Liberal Democrats Lord Campbell.
“The longer we wait to act, the more likely it is that dangerous variants could emerge that can evade the protections offered by current vaccines,” the letter said, which was co-ordinated by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on coronavirus.
It added: “The UK has an opportunity to use the G7 summit to show leadership on this critical issue and demonstrate that ‘global Britain’ is more than just a slogan.
“While the UK has rightly committed funding to Covax, we remain a net importer of Covid-19 vaccines.
“The APPG on coronavirus, therefore, recommends that the UK must immediately adopt a policy of vaccine matching, in which for each dose of the vaccine imported, one dose is donated to Covax.
“This will help meet the urgent demand for vaccines in low and middle-income countries around the world.
“The UK mustn’t miss the opportunity provided by the G7 summit to lead the way in promoting more equitable global access to Covid-19 vaccines.”
The 116 peers and MPs believe the UK should aim to become a “net vaccine exporter” once it has boosted its manufacturing capacity.
The decision to write to the prime minister came about after Professor Andrew Pollard, who helped develop the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, warned the group that “many millions could die between now and September” if vaccines are not more widely distributed across the globe.
Germany, France and Italy are among European countries that have committed to donating at least 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to middle and low-income countries before the end of the year, the group said.
They highlighted that the UK government has so far only committed to donating surplus shots in future to Covax, they said.
Matt Hancock has previously said that the UK “has probably done more than any other nation to help vaccinate the world’s poorest” through its support for the Oxford vaccine, which accounted for almost a third of the global number of coronavirus jabs administered as of 19 May.
He said the government had also donated more than £500m to Covax, which has delivered vaccines to 120 countries and territories.
In November, the UK government decided to cut spending on its annual foreign aid commitment from 0.7% to 0.5% of gross national income.
World
Russia calls meeting with UK ambassador after Lord Cameron says Ukraine ‘has right’ to strike inside Russia with UK weapons
Russia has warned that Ukrainian strikes on its territory with UK-supplied weapons could bring retaliatory attacks against British military facilities and equipment on Ukrainian soil or elsewhere.
During a trip to Kyiv last week, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said Ukraine “absolutely has the right” to strike back at targets inside Russia using British-supplied weapons.
Russia’s foreign ministry said the UK’s ambassador to Moscow had been “summoned” to make him “reflect on the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps by London”.
The UK’s Foreign Office, however, contested the claim saying the ambassador had not been “summoned” but he had just taken part in a diplomatic meeting with ministry officials.
British ambassador Nigel Casey was called in for a formal protest, the Russian foreign ministry claimed, as it said Lord Cameron’s remarks recognised that Britain – which has given Ukraine billions of pounds worth of weapons to defend itself in the war against Russia – was now de-facto a part of the conflict.
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“Casey was warned that in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory with British weapons, any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and abroad could be targeted,” the foreign ministry said.
“The ambassador was called upon to reflect on the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps by London and immediately refute the belligerent provocative statements of the head of the Foreign Office in the most decisive and unambiguous way.”
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement: “The British Ambassador was not summoned. He met Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials for a diplomatic meeting.
“The Ambassador reiterated the UK’s support for Ukraine in the face of unprovoked Russian aggression, and restated the UK’s position on providing support to Ukraine.”
During Lord Cameron’s visit to Ukraine last week, the foreign secretary reiterated Britain’s unwavering support for Ukraine, whose troops have been fighting Russia’s invasion since the Kremlin launched its “special military operation” in February 2022.
“Ukraine has that right. Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine feels the need to make sure it’s defending itself,” Lord Cameron said.
Senior Israeli officials have been threatening a major military operation into the city of Rafah and surrounding areas in southern Gaza for weeks.
On Sunday, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant warned it could take place “imminently” as talks on a ceasefire with Hamas fizzled-out in Cairo.
Now, they have taken a major step towards it.
War latest: Families flee Rafah as IDF orders 100,000 to evacuate
On Monday morning, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) released a statement instructing people in southeastern Gaza to advance towards an “expanded humanitarian area” to the north, centred around the city of Khan Younis, and a coastal community called Al-Mawasi.
The IDF said it “includes field hospitals, tents and increased amounts of food, water, medication and additional supplies”.
The claim will be greeted with scepticism by international aid agencies that have argued the Israelis have failed to do enough to facilitate such aid.
Civilians are being told to move to an ‘expanded humanitarian area’ to the north
The UN’s refugee agency in Gaza, UNRWA, immediately questioned the operation on X.
UNRWA said an offensive “would mean more civilian suffering and deaths” and that “the consequences would be devastating for 1.4 million people”.
The vast majority of people living in southern Gaza have already been displaced by the fighting further north.
And in what represents a significant juncture, the Israelis are instructing them to return to areas that have already badly damaged in this conflict.
Israel has been dropping evacuation leaflets from the air. Pic: AP
Khan Younis was placed under siege by the IDF in January and many neighbourhoods have been partially – or completely – destroyed.
However, there are no doubts about the Israelis’ intent.
Leaflets are now being dropped in southeastern Gaza, stating: “Anyone in the area puts themselves and their family members in danger. For your safety, evacuate immediately….”
Aerial strikes have caused havoc – but there are fears a ground attack would be even worse. Pic: Reuters
With this operation, Israel would test the very limits of support that it receives from Western countries like the US, the UK and members of the European Union.
Last week, US secretary of state Antony Blinken suggested an incursion into Rafah was a step too far, warning the Israelis had yet to produce “a clear, credible plan to protect civilians”.
Until it does, Mr Blinken said Washington “cannot and will not support a major military operation” in the area.
Read more:
Peace looks distant as ever after Israel refuses ceasefire terms
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Now, Israel’s chief ally and military backer will have to formulate a response, one which requires them to evaluate the nature and extent of this complicated relationship.
But it seems Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet have made up their minds.
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