Boris Johnson has asked security services to draw up plans to raid a Dutch Covid vaccine factory after the EU 'stole' millions of doses destined for Britain during the pandemic.
Diplomatic sources said the former prime minister was “furious” after the EU effectively blocked the export of five million doses of the AstraZeneca jab at the height of the vaccine rollout in March 2021.
At one point, Mr Johnson asked security services to explore “military options” to get the doses from the factory in Leiden, Netherlands.
The idea was only abandoned after diplomats warned it would disrupt relations – and jeopardize supplies of vaccines from factories elsewhere in the EU.
Mr Johnson will refer to the extraordinary episode when he appears before the Covid inquiry this week. His written evidence is expected to underline his frustration with the actions of the EU, which was struggling with its own vaccine rollout at the time.
Boris Johnson has asked security services to draw up plans to raid a Dutch Covid vaccine factory after the EU 'stole' millions of doses destined for Britain, it is claimed
Two diplomatic sources told the Mail that behind the scenes, Mr Johnson was so angry about interference from Brussels that he considered ordering a secret raid to seize the vaccines, which the British government had paid for.
One source said: 'The EU had actually seized five million doses of our vaccine. Naturally, the Prime Minister was furious – they were putting British lives at risk to make a political point and distract from their own shortcomings.
“He instructed officials to review all response options, which included asking the security services to see if there were options to physically remove the vaccines from the Netherlands and bring them here.”
A second source said the EU's “Trumpian” actions had “delayed relations with Brussels for at least a year.”
The source added: 'The EU could not accept the fact that we had got a better deal with AstraZeneca and so they effectively seized these vaccines in the Netherlands. They were effectively stolen; it was Trumpian.
'Boris was furious, as you would expect, and wanted to explore all options for response. It went far beyond trade retaliation; it was diplomacy, security, everything.
'He felt like he was fighting for British lives and at one point he wondered if there were military options to just go and get these vaccines.
'That would obviously have had major consequences, not least in terms of other vaccine supplies being produced in the EU. I don't know how far the idea went.
The former Prime Minister's written evidence is expected to underline his frustration at the actions of the EU, which was struggling with its own vaccine rollout at the time (File Photo)
“But at the time, the EU's actions were so aggressive that it didn't seem like such a bizarre idea.”
A spokesman for Mr Johnson declined to comment on the claims, saying only that he “looked forward to helping the inquiry with its important work next week.”
But a senior ally of the former prime minister acknowledged he had been left “enraged” by the actions of a perceived ally.
“Boris was always prepared to use whatever means necessary to ensure Britain got the vaccines it needed and rightly obtained,” the friend said.
'He had no interest in playing the EU's political games and the petty politics displayed by some on this issue was downright infuriating.'
Mr Johnson asked the security services to explore 'military options' for retrieving the doses from the Dutch AstraZeneca vaccine factory in Leiden (pictured)
The diplomatic crisis arose when the European Commission threatened in March 2021 to block the export to Britain of five million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from a 'finishing plant' of the Dutch firm Halix.
At the time, Brussels was in conflict with the British-Swedish biotech giant, which had warned that production problems meant it could deliver only a quarter of planned deliveries to the EU. AstraZeneca refused to divert supplies from British factories and Brussels responded by threatening to ban exports from its own territory.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the measure aims to “ensure that Europe gets its fair share.”
Mr Johnson was only deterred from retaliating after officials warned it could jeopardize the supply of an even larger batch of Pfizer vaccines being produced elsewhere in the EU. British officials were able to replace most Dutch vaccines with supplies from India, allowing Britain's rollout to continue.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the measure aims to “ensure that Europe gets its fair share.”
In his testimony this week, Mr Johnson is also expected to refer to a separate episode in which the Commission threatened to impose border controls on the island of Ireland to prevent EU-produced vaccines from being sent to Northern Ireland.
The EU's approach led to what sources described as a “rupture” in relations. Johnson is said to have had a “furious” phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who was suspected of encouraging the EU's tough stance, and an “even worse” phone call with Ms Von der Leyen.
In his evidence, Mr Johnson will cite the UK's vaccine rollout program as evidence that the UK government has 'got the big decisions right' during the pandemic.
Britain was the first country in the world to license a Covid vaccine, and had one of the fastest rollouts. The former prime minister is expected to apologize for the government's mistakes during the pandemic, but insists Britain has done well in many areas, such as opening up society quickly after the final lockdown.
Among other things, he will acknowledge the enormous pain caused by the shocking death toll, but point out that Britain has ended up 'in the middle of the pack' in terms of high death rates.