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Home Politics

No, Mr Hancock, Brexit is not to thank for Britain’s speedy vaccine approval

Matt Hancock, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Alok Sharma say Brexit is to thank for the UK's speedy vaccine approval. This is why they're wrong.

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2020-12-02 17:26
in Politics
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The first approval of a coronavirus vaccine for widespread use is, undoubtedly, a cause for celebration. It is a groundbreaking scientific achievement – or a “biological jiujitsu” if you’re Boris Johnson.

That the UK has become the first country to approve Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine, and that Brits are likely to be the first people to have it jabbed into their arms, is a welcome development.

But, already, the speed with which the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ratified the vaccine has been interpreted by some – invariably Conservative ministers and MP – as an all-conquering justification for Brexit.

Britain’s momentous decision to leave the EU earlier this year, the argument goes, made it possible for the UK to diverge from Brussels and move quicker to approve the Pfizer jab. The European Medicines Agency is unlikely to give it the seal of approval until later this month.

Except that’s not true. As Dr June Raines, the MHRA chief, pointed out in her Downing Street press conference earlier on Wednesday, the UK was only able to move so quickly to give Pfizer the thumbs up because of a longstanding provision in EU law that, until 1 January, the UK benefits from.

A longstanding regulatory provision allows the MHRA to break away from the EMA on matters of urgency, Covid-19 being one such matter.

Still, that has not stopped several Tory MPs crowing that this scientific breakthrough – forged in Germany by a husband-and-wife pairing of Turkish immigrants and manufactured in Belgium – is a victory for Britain.

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With fewer than 30 days until Brexit, it feels a bit like the government is keen for a win. Here are the ministers who have had their say thus far.

We could only approve this vaccine so quickly because we have left the EU. Last month we changed the regulations so a vaccine did not need EU approval which is slower. https://t.co/y2Az7okPdx

— Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) December 2, 2020

The UK was the first country to sign a deal with Pfizer/BioNTech – now we will be the first to deploy their vaccine

To everyone involved in this breakthrough: thank you

In years to come, we will remember this moment as the day the UK led humanity’s charge against this disease

— Alok Sharma (@AlokSharma_RDG) December 2, 2020

Regulator doesn't agree with Health Secretary shocker.

Matt Hancock: “Because we’ve left the EU, we’ve been able to move faster."

Dr June Raine, MHRA boss: “We’ve been able to authorise supply of this vaccine under provisions under European law which exist until January 1st.”

— Theo Usherwood (@theousherwood) December 2, 2020

Related: Covid-19: Debunking the most common anti-vaxxer arguments

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